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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. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  13. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. We're on a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. current — of water
  5. face — to confront
  6. wax — to grow
  7. staff — employees
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. lie — to recline
  11. current — electric
  12. roll — a cake
  13. roll — a list
  14. dip — to sink
  15. current — happening now
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. face — part of the head
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. face — to point toward
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. staff — employees
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. roll — on a roll

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