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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 band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. march — music
  2. can — a tin
  3. row — to paddle
  4. current — of water
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. face — to point toward
  7. current — electric
  8. current — happening now
  9. ball — a dance
  10. march — the month
  11. can — to be able to
  12. face — part of the head
  13. row — a line
  14. mug — a face
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. face — to confront
  17. can — a tin
  18. mug — to rob
  19. march — the month
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. mug — a cup
  22. wax — to grow
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. ball — a great time

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