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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 owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. current — electric
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. cue — a signal
  7. cue — for pool
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. lean — to bend
  10. cue — a hint
  11. current — happening now
  12. rest — what's left
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. perch — the fish
  15. bulb — for light
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. bulb — for light
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. current — of water
  20. rest — a break
  21. wax — to grow
  22. rest — what's left
  23. lean — thin
  24. patient — a sick person

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