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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. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. wind — to turn a key
  3. current — of water
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. rock — music
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. wind — moving air
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. mug — to rob
  13. wax — to grow
  14. wind — moving air
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. current — electric
  17. current — happening now
  18. perch — the fish
  19. mug — a cup
  20. tube — the underground
  21. rock — a stone
  22. mug — a face
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. perch — for a bird

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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