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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 124 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 teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. We're on a ________________ here.
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  21. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a list
  2. dip — to sink
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. degree — an amount
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. degree — temperature
  7. ground — the earth
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. mate — a friend
  12. roll — on a roll
  13. mate — to breed
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. mate — a partner
  18. ground — crushed
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. roll — a cake
  21. degree — from a university
  22. wax — to grow
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. ground — a position

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