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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. wax — to grow
  3. rest — what's left
  4. file — a line of people
  5. rest — what's left
  6. deal — to handle
  7. file — a document
  8. march — music
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. march — the month
  11. vault — a safe
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. current — of water
  14. march — the month
  15. rest — a break
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. file — a tool
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. current — happening now
  24. current — electric

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