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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 · spell · ruler · cue · safe · sharp · ball · wax

  1. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. ball — a great time
  3. spell — letters
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. sharp — clever
  7. degree — from a university
  8. cue — a signal
  9. wax — to grow
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. degree — temperature
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. cue — for pool
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. ball — a dance
  20. cue — a hint
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. spell — magic
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. degree — an amount

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