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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 120 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: cabinet · rest · nail · degree · wax · pound · bulb · temple

  1. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — in the ear
  2. rest — what's left
  3. pound — a weight
  4. degree — from a university
  5. bulb — for light
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. degree — an amount
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. wax — to grow
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. rest — what's left
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. pound — for dogs
  19. bulb — for light
  20. degree — temperature
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. rest — a break

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