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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 120 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: cabinet · bound · root · saw · wax · charge · degree · rush

  1. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — in the ear
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. saw — the tool
  4. degree — from a university
  5. root — of a plant
  6. degree — temperature
  7. rush — hurry
  8. bound — obliged
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. saw — the tool
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. degree — an amount
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. charge — electricity
  17. root — the cause
  18. wax — to grow
  19. charge — a price
  20. bound — tied together
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. bound — certain
  23. root — of a word
  24. charge — in control

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