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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. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. cap — a lid
  3. fork — in a road
  4. wax — to grow
  5. current — happening now
  6. clip — for paper
  7. current — electric
  8. cap — a hat
  9. current — of water
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. present — a gift
  12. clip — to cut
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. cap — of ice
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. clip — a video
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. rush — hurry
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. present — there
  24. wax — for sculpting

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