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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.

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: degree · lash · bass · wax · calf · rule · present · spell

  1. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. rule — government
  4. degree — temperature
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. present — a gift
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. spell — letters
  9. bass — low music
  10. rule — a law
  11. degree — an amount
  12. present — the time now
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. spell — a short time
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. bass — the fish
  18. present — there
  19. degree — from a university
  20. wax — to grow
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. spell — magic
  24. lash — an eyelash

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