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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. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  2. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — in the ear
  2. clip — a video
  3. root — of a plant
  4. craft — boats
  5. root — of a word
  6. clip — for paper
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. current — of water
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. wax — to grow
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. root — the cause
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. craft — a skill
  19. clip — to cut
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. current — happening now
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. current — electric
  24. nail — on a finger

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