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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. That was a fun ________________.
  2. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a match
  2. game — a kind of play
  3. current — electric
  4. current — happening now
  5. lie — to recline
  6. wax — to grow
  7. mark — a grade
  8. current — of water
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. mark — a trace
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. spell — a short time
  20. spell — magic
  21. game — wild animals
  22. spell — letters
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. mark — to pay attention

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