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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 116 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. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — in the ear
  2. present — a gift
  3. wax — to grow
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. present — the time now
  7. key — the most important part
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. current — happening now
  10. staff — employees
  11. key — for a lock
  12. current — of water
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. chip — for betting
  15. present — there
  16. saw — the tool
  17. saw — the tool
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. staff — employees
  20. current — electric
  21. chip — to eat
  22. staff — a stick
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. key — in music

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