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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: toast · fall · mouse · mug · degree · safe · wax · board

  1. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  2. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  7. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — an amount
  2. toast — the most admired
  3. mug — a cup
  4. toast — bread
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. degree — from a university
  7. fall — to drop
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. fall — the season
  11. wax — to grow
  12. mug — to rob
  13. mug — a face
  14. board — a committee
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. fall — to drop
  18. board — to get on
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. degree — temperature
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. safe — a strongbox

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