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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: degree · wax · vault · safe · mate · bass · patient · season

  1. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. degree — temperature
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. mate — a partner
  6. wax — to grow
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. degree — an amount
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. season — of the year
  14. mate — to breed
  15. bass — the fish
  16. bass — low music
  17. season — in sport
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. vault — a safe
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. degree — from a university
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. mate — a friend

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