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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. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. rock — music
  3. cap — a lid
  4. rock — a stone
  5. face — to point toward
  6. cap — a hat
  7. wax — to grow
  8. cap — of ice
  9. current — happening now
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. staff — employees
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. rush — hurry
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. staff — employees
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. staff — a stick
  18. face — part of the head
  19. current — of water
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. face — to confront
  23. current — electric
  24. rush — to hurry

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