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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
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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: nail · mug · wax · degree · mark · content · scale · ball

  1. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  11. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. ball — a dance
  4. mark — a trace
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. scale — in music
  7. mug — a cup
  8. degree — from a university
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. degree — temperature
  11. degree — an amount
  12. mark — a grade
  13. wax — to grow
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. ball — a great time
  17. content — the amount
  18. mug — a face
  19. content — happy
  20. scale — size or range
  21. mug — to rob
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. wax — for sculpting

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