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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. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. Did you ________________ the meat?
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. season — to add flavour
  4. current — happening now
  5. bear — the animal
  6. season — in sport
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. ball — a great time
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. saw — the tool
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. season — of the year
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. current — electric
  18. wax — to grow
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. ball — a dance
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. bear — the animal
  24. saw — the tool

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