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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 120 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. Don't do anything ________________.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  6. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  7. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  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. rash — hasty
  2. current — happening now
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. wax — to grow
  5. wound — an injury
  6. wound — past of 'wind'
  7. rash — on the skin
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. current — electric
  10. rash — a series
  11. wound — an injury
  12. mug — a face
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. present — the time now
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. mug — to rob
  19. current — of water
  20. mug — a cup
  21. present — a gift
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  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