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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: wax · wave · court · degree · shower · ruler · plane · rock

  1. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. The ball is in your ________________.
  15. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  21. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. shower — a meteor shower
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. degree — temperature
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. shower — to wash
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. court — of law
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. wax — to grow
  12. rock — music
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. court — for sport
  15. court — of a king
  16. rock — a stone
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. degree — an amount
  21. degree — from a university
  22. plane — a tool
  23. shower — rain
  24. plane — an aircraft

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