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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. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. club — for golf
  3. degree — an amount
  4. pit — a hole
  5. degree — temperature
  6. suit — in cards
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. club — a group
  11. lie — to recline
  12. club — for dancing
  13. pit — in a race
  14. degree — from a university
  15. wax — to grow
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. staff — a stick
  19. staff — employees
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. suit — to fit
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. suit — clothes
  24. wax — for sculpting

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