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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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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 · scale · wax · firm · temple · trunk · net · drill

  1. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. scale — in music
  3. drill — a practice
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. drill — army training
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. net — after costs
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. drill — the tool
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. firm — a company
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. net — for catching
  14. degree — temperature
  15. firm — steady
  16. degree — an amount
  17. wax — to grow
  18. degree — from a university
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. scale — size or range
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. net — in sport
  23. firm — decided
  24. wax — in the ear

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