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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. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. current — of water
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. pit — a hole
  6. staff — a stick
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. wax — to grow
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. current — electric
  18. staff — employees
  19. current — happening now
  20. staff — employees
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. pit — in a race
  24. wax — in the ear

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