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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 · fall · fine · wax · deal · firm · date · shower

  1. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  8. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  9. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. Have you settled on a ________________?
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — temperature
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. firm — steady
  5. date — the fruit
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. degree — an amount
  8. degree — from a university
  9. fall — the season
  10. wax — to grow
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. shower — to wash
  13. firm — decided
  14. firm — a company
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. deal — to handle
  17. fall — to drop
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. shower — rain
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. shower — a meteor shower
  22. fine — all right
  23. fine — high quality
  24. fall — to drop

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