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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. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. We're on a ________________ here.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. lean — thin
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. roll — a cake
  8. press — a publisher
  9. roll — a list
  10. lean — to bend
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. press — newspapers
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. roll — on a roll
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. current — electric
  17. wax — to grow
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. press — to push
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. current — of water

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