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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. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. suit — in cards
  4. bulb — for light
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. current — electric
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. rash — hasty
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. ball — a great time
  13. rash — a series
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. bulb — for light
  17. suit — clothes
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. suit — to fit
  20. straw — a straw man
  21. current — happening now
  22. current — of water
  23. wax — for sculpting
  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