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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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  24. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. wax — in the ear
  3. wax — to grow
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. can — a tin
  6. object — a thing
  7. can — to be able to
  8. net — after costs
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. cue — a hint
  11. net — for catching
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. cue — for pool
  14. degree — temperature
  15. cue — a signal
  16. degree — from a university
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. object — an aim
  20. object — to protest
  21. degree — an amount
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. fork — in a road
  24. net — in sport

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