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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. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. mug — a face
  3. current — electric
  4. rash — hasty
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. suit — in cards
  7. mug — to rob
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. wax — to grow
  12. fall — the season
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. suit — to fit
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. rash — a series
  17. suit — clothes
  18. mug — a cup
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. fall — to drop
  21. current — of water
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. rash — on the skin
  24. fall — to drop

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