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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.

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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: mouse · pop · wax · pit · track · kick · swing · degree

  1. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. pop — music
  4. degree — temperature
  5. wax — to grow
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. swing — music
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. track — a path
  10. degree — an amount
  11. kick — in football
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. pit — a hole
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. pop — to visit
  17. degree — from a university
  18. track — a song
  19. track — to keep track
  20. swing — to play on
  21. pop — soda
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. swing — in golf

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