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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 124 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. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. The ball is in your ________________.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. current — electric
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. present — a gift
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. court — of a king
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. court — of law
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. present — the time now
  12. perch — the fish
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. foot — a measure
  15. court — for sport
  16. fork — in a road
  17. current — of water
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. present — there
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. wax — to grow

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