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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. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. pop — music
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. wax — to grow
  6. current — electric
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. scale — in music
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. pop — to visit
  13. scale — size or range
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. pass — a permit
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. saw — the tool
  19. pop — soda
  20. current — of water
  21. current — happening now
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. pass — to spend time

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