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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. degree — temperature
  3. saw — the tool
  4. rock — a stone
  5. degree — from a university
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. rock — music
  11. can — to be able to
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. can — a tin
  14. can — a tin
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. ground — crushed
  19. saw — the tool
  20. degree — an amount
  21. ground — a position
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. wax — to grow

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com