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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 train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. mark — a grade
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. shower — rain
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. current — electric
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. shower — a meteor shower
  9. wax — to grow
  10. stand — to bear
  11. current — happening now
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. current — of water
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. lie — to recline
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. shower — to wash
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. mark — a trace

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