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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 120 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. When are we going to ________________?
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  5. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  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. land — to come down
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. suit — to fit
  4. degree — an amount
  5. land — ground
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. degree — temperature
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. wax — to grow
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. stand — to bear
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. suit — clothes
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. land — a country
  20. vault — a safe
  21. degree — from a university
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. suit — in cards
  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