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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. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. There's no middle ________________.
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. ground — a position
  5. club — for golf
  6. key — in music
  7. suit — clothes
  8. ground — the earth
  9. club — a group
  10. suit — in cards
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. suit — to fit
  13. scale — size or range
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. wax — to grow
  16. stand — to bear
  17. key — for a lock
  18. key — the most important part
  19. club — for dancing
  20. current — happening now
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. ground — crushed
  23. scale — in music
  24. current — electric

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