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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. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  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. current — of water
  2. rest — what's left
  3. wax — to grow
  4. rest — a break
  5. mate — a partner
  6. rest — what's left
  7. object — a thing
  8. current — electric
  9. key — for a lock
  10. net — in sport
  11. net — for catching
  12. mate — to breed
  13. net — after costs
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. object — an aim
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. object — to protest
  18. lean — to bend
  19. current — happening now
  20. key — in music
  21. key — the most important part
  22. mate — a friend
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. lean — thin

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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