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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. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. current — happening now
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. pit — a hole
  7. current — electric
  8. wake — a trail
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. ball — a great time
  12. rock — a stone
  13. wax — to grow
  14. ball — a dance
  15. press — a publisher
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. press — newspapers
  19. pit — in a race
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. rock — music
  23. press — to push
  24. wax — in the ear

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