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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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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. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. mug — a face
  3. club — a group
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. mark — a trace
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. mark — a grade
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. mug — to rob
  10. drill — army training
  11. club — for golf
  12. drill — the tool
  13. current — of water
  14. net — for catching
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. current — happening now
  17. branch — a division
  18. net — after costs
  19. net — in sport
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. mug — a cup
  22. wax — to grow
  23. club — for dancing
  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