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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. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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. press — to push
  4. cue — a signal
  5. track — a path
  6. current — happening now
  7. bound — tied together
  8. staff — a stick
  9. cue — a hint
  10. staff — employees
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. track — a song
  13. cue — for pool
  14. bound — obliged
  15. object — to protest
  16. current — electric
  17. object — a thing
  18. press — newspapers
  19. bound — certain
  20. track — to keep track
  21. wax — to grow
  22. press — a publisher
  23. staff — employees
  24. object — an aim

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