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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. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. pop — soda
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. pop — to visit
  6. ground — the earth
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. pop — music
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. ground — a position
  15. current — of water
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. bound — obliged
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. ground — crushed
  20. bound — tied together
  21. current — electric
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. bound — certain
  24. wax — to grow

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