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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.

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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. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  19. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. The ball is in your ________________.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. wax — to grow
  3. shower — to wash
  4. current — electric
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. shower — rain
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. shower — a meteor shower
  10. current — of water
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. court — of a king
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. pop — to visit
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. wound — an injury
  19. court — of law
  20. pop — soda
  21. court — for sport
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. wound — an injury
  24. pop — music

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