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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 make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. current — of water
  3. wax — to grow
  4. march — the month
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. march — music
  7. current — electric
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. march — the month
  11. deal — to handle
  12. perch — the fish
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. lean — thin
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. lean — to bend
  19. saw — the tool
  20. current — happening now
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. foot — a measure
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. saw — the tool

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