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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. rest — what's left
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. wax — to grow
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. rest — a break
  12. degree — an amount
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. dip — to sink
  15. degree — temperature
  16. rest — what's left
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. degree — from a university
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. pitch — completely

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