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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 116 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: tube · fan · ruler · degree · deal · bulb · charge · wax

  1. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. wax — to grow
  5. degree — an amount
  6. charge — in control
  7. tube — the underground
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. degree — from a university
  10. deal — to handle
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. tube — a container
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. degree — temperature
  19. charge — a price
  20. bulb — for light
  21. charge — electricity
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. fan — a supporter

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