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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. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. Did you ________________ the meat?
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. current — happening now
  3. mug — a face
  4. current — of water
  5. season — of the year
  6. pitch — completely
  7. mug — to rob
  8. mug — a cup
  9. season — to add flavour
  10. present — the time now
  11. face — to confront
  12. present — a gift
  13. face — to point toward
  14. season — in sport
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. wax — to grow
  17. current — electric
  18. drill — a practice
  19. present — there
  20. face — part of the head
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. drill — the tool
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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