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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.

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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: roll · wax · stem · bass · charge · face · degree · firm

  1. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  10. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. We're on a ________________ here.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. degree — temperature
  3. charge — in control
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. wax — to grow
  6. firm — decided
  7. face — to confront
  8. bass — the fish
  9. roll — a cake
  10. roll — a list
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. bass — low music
  13. face — part of the head
  14. roll — on a roll
  15. firm — steady
  16. charge — electricity
  17. face — to point toward
  18. stem — to come from
  19. firm — a company
  20. degree — an amount
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. charge — a price
  24. degree — from a university

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