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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. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  14. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. The ball is in your ________________.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. mate — a friend
  4. mate — a partner
  5. wax — to grow
  6. current — electric
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. race — the arms race
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. court — of a king
  12. current — of water
  13. court — of law
  14. race — humankind
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. court — for sport
  18. mate — to breed
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. tube — a container
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. tube — the underground
  23. plane — a tool
  24. race — a contest

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