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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.

Make a worksheet

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. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  3. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  4. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  11. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?

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. wax — in the ear
  3. clip — for paper
  4. mine — belonging to me
  5. current — electric
  6. wax — to grow
  7. bank — of a river
  8. bass — low music
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. mine — for digging
  11. mine — an explosive
  12. current — of water
  13. object — an aim
  14. clip — to cut
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. object — to protest
  18. bank — for money
  19. bank — for money
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. current — happening now
  22. object — a thing
  23. bass — the fish
  24. clip — a video

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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