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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. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  15. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  21. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. current — of water
  6. chair — to sit on
  7. wax — to grow
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. bat — the animal
  11. rush — hurry
  12. current — electric
  13. tube — the underground
  14. chair — a leader
  15. chair — a professorship
  16. tube — a container
  17. mate — a partner
  18. current — happening now
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. bat — for baseball
  21. bat — in an idiom
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. mate — a friend
  24. rush — a thrill

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