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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
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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 · current · degree · craft · object · net · wave · wax

  1. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. degree — temperature
  4. object — a thing
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. degree — an amount
  9. craft — a skill
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. degree — from a university
  13. current — of water
  14. net — for catching
  15. object — to protest
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. current — electric
  19. wax — to grow
  20. net — in sport
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. net — after costs
  23. current — happening now
  24. object — an aim

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