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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. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  19. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  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. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. drill — army training
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. wax — to grow
  5. face — part of the head
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. face — to point toward
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. current — electric
  14. face — to confront
  15. capital — a city
  16. current — happening now
  17. drill — the tool
  18. drill — a practice
  19. capital — a big letter
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. capital — money
  23. current — of water
  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