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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. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. tube — a container
  3. spell — letters
  4. prune — to trim
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. current — electric
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. current — happening now
  9. track — a path
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. board — a committee
  12. can — a tin
  13. spell — magic
  14. track — to keep track
  15. tube — the underground
  16. can — a tin
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. track — a song
  19. wax — to grow
  20. current — of water
  21. board — to get on
  22. prune — to trim
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. can — to be able to

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