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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 information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  2. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  17. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  18. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. toast — the most admired
  3. bass — low music
  4. wax — to grow
  5. degree — temperature
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. toast — a drink to someone
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. net — for catching
  11. degree — from a university
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. mark — a trace
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. file — a tool
  17. file — a line of people
  18. toast — bread
  19. mark — a grade
  20. degree — an amount
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. net — in sport
  23. net — after costs
  24. bass — the fish

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