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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. That must've been a ________________.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. current — of water
  3. bulb — for light
  4. rush — hurry
  5. lean — to bend
  6. suit — to fit
  7. wax — to grow
  8. wind — to turn a key
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. bulb — for light
  11. current — electric
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. wind — moving air
  14. suit — in cards
  15. swing — to play on
  16. swing — in golf
  17. swing — music
  18. lean — thin
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. wind — moving air
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. current — happening now
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. suit — clothes

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