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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. Have you found your soul ________________?
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — temperature
  2. mate — a partner
  3. charge — electricity
  4. tube — a container
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. mark — a trace
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. mate — to breed
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. scale — in music
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. tube — the underground
  15. mate — a friend
  16. charge — in control
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. scale — size or range
  19. wax — to grow
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. degree — an amount
  22. mark — a grade
  23. degree — from a university
  24. charge — a price

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