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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. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. We're on a ________________ here.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. roll — a cake
  3. suit — clothes
  4. wax — to grow
  5. roll — on a roll
  6. lean — thin
  7. lean — to bend
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. suit — to fit
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. current — of water
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. mug — a face
  15. current — happening now
  16. mug — a cup
  17. roll — a list
  18. suit — in cards
  19. sharp — clever
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. pound — a weight
  22. mug — to rob
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. wax — for sculpting

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