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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 · rule · pass · swing · rush · suit · bulb · wax

  1. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  2. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — for sculpting
  2. wax — in the ear
  3. bulb — for light
  4. degree — an amount
  5. suit — to fit
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. swing — music
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. degree — from a university
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. degree — temperature
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. swing — in golf
  14. suit — in cards
  15. suit — clothes
  16. rule — government
  17. rule — a law
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. rush — hurry
  20. bulb — for light
  21. pass — a permit
  22. swing — to play on
  23. wax — to grow
  24. pass — to succeed

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