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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. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  6. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. He was locked up in a ________________.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  18. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — in the ear
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. fine — high quality
  5. cell — in biology
  6. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. current — of water
  9. wax — to grow
  10. kid — child
  11. current — happening now
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. rock — music
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. cell — in a prison
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. kid — to tease
  18. cell — a phone
  19. fine — all right
  20. rock — a stone
  21. rush — hurry
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. ruler — for measuring
  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