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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. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. Have you settled on a ________________?
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. drill — a practice
  5. drill — the tool
  6. drill — army training
  7. current — happening now
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. tube — a container
  13. wax — to grow
  14. current — electric
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. date — the fruit
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. rock — music
  20. scale — size or range
  21. rock — a stone
  22. scale — in music
  23. tube — the underground
  24. wax — for sculpting

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