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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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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 · temple · nail · ruler · racket · lash · swing · degree

  1. David sat on the ________________.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. degree — an amount
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. swing — in golf
  10. wax — to grow
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. swing — music
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. degree — from a university
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. degree — temperature
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. racket — a loud noise

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