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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. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. fork — in a road
  3. wax — for sculpting
  4. mug — to rob
  5. mate — to breed
  6. wax — in the ear
  7. mug — a face
  8. mug — a cup
  9. mate — a friend
  10. current — electric
  11. face — to point toward
  12. club — for golf
  13. wax — to grow
  14. club — for dancing
  15. face — to confront
  16. current — of water
  17. club — a group
  18. mate — a partner
  19. lie — to recline
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. face — part of the head
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. lie — an untruth

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