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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.

Make a worksheet

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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: temple · leaves · wax · patient · degree · calf

  1. When was this ________________ built?
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. degree — an amount
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. degree — from a university
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. wax — to grow
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. degree — temperature

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