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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 kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. When are we going to ________________?
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. pop — to visit
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. current — happening now
  5. scale — size or range
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. land — ground
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. pop — music
  13. staff — employees
  14. scale — in music
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. current — electric
  17. wax — to grow
  18. pop — soda
  19. staff — a stick
  20. current — of water
  21. land — to come down
  22. staff — employees
  23. land — a country
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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