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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. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — temperature
  2. wax — to grow
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. chip — to eat
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. chip — for betting
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. rush — hurry
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. degree — an amount
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. root — the cause
  18. root — of a word
  19. charge — in control
  20. root — of a plant
  21. charge — a price
  22. charge — electricity
  23. degree — from a university
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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