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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.

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: wax · arm · temple · cue · charge · degree · staff · row

  1. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  2. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — temperature
  2. row — a line
  3. cue — a signal
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. row — a quarrel
  7. cue — a hint
  8. charge — electricity
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. charge — a price
  11. cue — for pool
  12. staff — employees
  13. staff — employees
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. wax — to grow
  18. degree — from a university
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. staff — a stick
  21. degree — an amount
  22. charge — in control
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. row — to paddle

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