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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 felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — temperature
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. row — a line
  5. press — newspapers
  6. press — a publisher
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. mark — a grade
  9. wax — to grow
  10. degree — from a university
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. row — to paddle
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. degree — an amount
  19. mark — a trace
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. press — to push
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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