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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. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — music
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. wax — for sculpting
  4. mark — a trace
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. current — of water
  8. ball — a dance
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. wax — to grow
  14. mark — a grade
  15. ball — a great time
  16. current — happening now
  17. staff — a stick
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. staff — employees
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. current — electric
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. staff — employees
  24. rock — a stone

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