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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 120 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. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. wind — moving air
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. wake — a trail
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. foot — a measure
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. wax — to grow
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. file — a line of people
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. file — a tool
  18. lie — to recline
  19. wind — to turn a key
  20. current — electric
  21. current — of water
  22. wind — moving air
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. file — a document

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