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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. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. current — of water
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. suit — in cards
  5. suit — clothes
  6. wax — to grow
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. lean — to bend
  10. spell — a short time
  11. suit — to fit
  12. present — the time now
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. spell — letters
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. present — there
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. present — a gift
  21. branch — a division
  22. spell — magic
  23. current — happening now
  24. lean — thin

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