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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 116 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. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. rush — hurry
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. shower — a meteor shower
  6. staff — a stick
  7. wax — to grow
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. current — of water
  10. current — electric
  11. shower — to wash
  12. bore — to drill
  13. bore — to tire
  14. staff — employees
  15. fall — to drop
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. fall — the season
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. plane — a tool
  21. shower — rain
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. current — happening now
  24. staff — employees

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