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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. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. cap — a lid
  6. wax — to grow
  7. bound — certain
  8. bound — tied together
  9. current — electric
  10. cap — a hat
  11. suit — in cards
  12. cap — of ice
  13. current — happening now
  14. pop — soda
  15. suit — to fit
  16. shower — to wash
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. pop — music
  19. current — of water
  20. shower — a meteor shower
  21. suit — clothes
  22. pop — to visit
  23. dip — to sink
  24. bound — obliged

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