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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 116 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. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. bulb — for light
  3. current — of water
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. club — for dancing
  6. staff — employees
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. club — for golf
  9. face — part of the head
  10. club — a group
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. staff — employees
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. current — electric
  15. fine — all right
  16. face — to confront
  17. staff — a stick
  18. fine — high quality
  19. bulb — for light
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. face — to point toward
  22. wax — to grow
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. bulb — of a plant

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