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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.

Make a worksheet

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. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. rush — hurry
  4. bass — the fish
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. mug — a cup
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. mug — to rob
  11. current — happening now
  12. current — electric
  13. wax — to grow
  14. bass — low music
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. perch — the fish
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. current — of water
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. rule — a law
  24. rule — government

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