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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
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: wax · present · file · fork · tube · object · bulb · degree

  1. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  7. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. fork — in a road
  3. present — there
  4. file — a tool
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. file — a line of people
  7. degree — from a university
  8. wax — to grow
  9. file — a document
  10. object — a thing
  11. degree — temperature
  12. present — the time now
  13. tube — a container
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. tube — the underground
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. degree — an amount
  18. bulb — for light
  19. object — to protest
  20. bulb — for light
  21. present — a gift
  22. object — an aim
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. fork — to eat with

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