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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. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. mug — a face
  3. scale — in music
  4. tear — from crying
  5. wax — to grow
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. scale — size or range
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. current — happening now
  11. tear — to rip
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. mate — a partner
  14. pit — in a race
  15. current — of water
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. tear — from crying
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. mate — to breed
  21. pit — a hole
  22. mug — to rob
  23. mug — a cup
  24. mate — a friend

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