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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. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  12. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. mate — to breed
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. band — a ring
  8. suit — in cards
  9. mate — a partner
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. band — a rubber band
  12. band — a music group
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. current — electric
  15. current — happening now
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. pitch — completely
  18. mate — a friend
  19. current — of water
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. suit — to fit
  22. suit — clothes
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. wax — to grow

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