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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. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. present — the time now
  3. wind — to turn a key
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. current — electric
  6. wind — moving air
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. staff — a stick
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. wax — to grow
  12. wind — moving air
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. current — happening now
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. staff — employees
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. staff — employees
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. present — a gift
  22. sharp — clever
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. present — there

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