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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. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  2. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. tear — to rip
  3. staff — employees
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. wind — moving air
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. bound — obliged
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. pass — a permit
  11. staff — employees
  12. wax — to grow
  13. current — happening now
  14. squash — to crush
  15. bound — certain
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. staff — a stick
  18. current — of water
  19. squash — the sport
  20. tear — from crying
  21. current — electric
  22. wind — to turn a key
  23. bound — tied together
  24. tear — from crying

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