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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: racket · object · degree · scale · wax · suit · tube · saw

  1. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. suit — clothes
  3. object — a thing
  4. suit — in cards
  5. object — an aim
  6. saw — the tool
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. degree — temperature
  10. tube — a container
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. suit — to fit
  13. degree — from a university
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. tube — the underground
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. wax — to grow
  18. scale — size or range
  19. scale — in music
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. saw — the tool
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. degree — an amount

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