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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. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  2. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. bear — the animal
  7. charge — in control
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. current — happening now
  10. kid — to tease
  11. bear — the animal
  12. branch — a division
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. charge — a price
  16. wax — to grow
  17. kid — child
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. charge — electricity
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. current — of water
  23. current — electric
  24. pitcher — a jug

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