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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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. ball — a dance
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. lean — to bend
  7. ball — a great time
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. deal — to handle
  10. wax — to grow
  11. suit — in cards
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. swing — in golf
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. suit — clothes
  17. current — electric
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. current — of water
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. swing — music
  22. swing — to play on
  23. current — happening now
  24. lean — thin

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