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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.

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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: chip · bat · wax · stand · stick · temple · dip · degree

  1. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  2. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  6. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  14. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — in the ear
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. chip — for betting
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. degree — an amount
  6. bat — for baseball
  7. dip — to sink
  8. bat — the animal
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. degree — temperature
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. degree — from a university
  14. bat — in an idiom
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. wax — to grow
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. chip — to eat
  23. stand — to bear
  24. dip — a sauce

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