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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 116 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. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. drill — a practice
  3. wax — to grow
  4. suit — to fit
  5. chip — for betting
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. scale — in music
  9. chip — to eat
  10. current — happening now
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. ball — a great time
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. current — of water
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. drill — the tool
  17. drill — army training
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. scale — size or range
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. suit — in cards
  22. ball — a dance
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. suit — clothes

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