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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. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. wax — to grow
  6. lie — to recline
  7. current — of water
  8. fall — the season
  9. bass — the fish
  10. fall — to drop
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. bass — low music
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. fall — to drop
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. bore — to tire
  23. current — happening now
  24. bore — to drill

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