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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 124 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. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. drill — army training
  3. current — happening now
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. drill — a practice
  7. current — electric
  8. mug — a cup
  9. staff — a stick
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. file — a tool
  13. mug — a face
  14. staff — employees
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. file — a document
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. current — of water
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. wax — to grow
  22. staff — employees
  23. mug — to rob
  24. drill — the tool

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