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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. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. rash — a series
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. bulb — for light
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. fine — all right
  7. root — of a word
  8. degree — an amount
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. wax — to grow
  12. chip — for betting
  13. degree — temperature
  14. root — of a plant
  15. root — the cause
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. chip — to eat
  18. rash — hasty
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. bulb — for light
  21. fine — high quality
  22. degree — from a university
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. rash — on the skin

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