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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. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. firm — steady
  3. current — happening now
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. scale — in music
  6. bore — to drill
  7. rash — hasty
  8. current — electric
  9. cap — a hat
  10. bore — to tire
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. firm — a company
  14. cap — a lid
  15. firm — decided
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. wax — to grow
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. scale — size or range
  22. current — of water
  23. rash — a series
  24. wax — for sculpting

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