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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. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. He was locked up in a ________________.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. cell — in biology
  6. current — electric
  7. court — of law
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. bank — of a river
  13. current — happening now
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. dip — to sink
  16. cell — a phone
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. wax — to grow
  19. court — of a king
  20. court — for sport
  21. cell — in a prison
  22. bank — for money
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. bank — for money

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