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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. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  6. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — in the ear
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. current — of water
  4. wax — to grow
  5. chest — of your body
  6. chest — a box
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. chest — of your body
  9. vault — a safe
  10. current — happening now
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. bore — to tire
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. rush — hurry
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. current — electric
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. bore — to drill

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