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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. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  2. He was locked up in a ________________.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. degree — temperature
  2. cell — in a prison
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. wax — to grow
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. cell — in biology
  8. saw — the tool
  9. can — a tin
  10. fine — high quality
  11. face — to point toward
  12. face — part of the head
  13. cell — a phone
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. can — to be able to
  18. degree — an amount
  19. saw — the tool
  20. fine — all right
  21. degree — from a university
  22. can — a tin
  23. face — to confront
  24. wax — in the ear

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