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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. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. He was locked up in a ________________.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. bank — of a river
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. cell — in a prison
  5. bound — certain
  6. cue — for pool
  7. bound — obliged
  8. pit — in a race
  9. pit — a hole
  10. chest — of your body
  11. current — happening now
  12. bound — tied together
  13. bank — for money
  14. chest — a box
  15. cue — a signal
  16. cell — in biology
  17. bank — for money
  18. cell — a phone
  19. cue — a hint
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. current — of water
  22. wax — to grow
  23. chest — of your body
  24. wax — for sculpting

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