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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: wound · degree · cue · wave · root · object · cap · scale

  1. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  5. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  6. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. root — of a plant
  3. root — the cause
  4. wound — an injury
  5. degree — an amount
  6. degree — from a university
  7. cap — of ice
  8. cue — a signal
  9. scale — size or range
  10. wound — past of 'wind'
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. wound — an injury
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. object — to protest
  15. degree — temperature
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. cue — for pool
  18. root — of a word
  19. scale — in music
  20. cap — a lid
  21. cue — a hint
  22. object — a thing
  23. cap — a hat
  24. object — an aim

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