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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 moon will ________________ and wane.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  16. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  17. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. wax — to grow
  2. pit — in a race
  3. lean — thin
  4. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  5. current — happening now
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. clip — to cut
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. current — electric
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. kid — to tease
  16. kid — child
  17. clip — a video
  18. pit — a hole
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. current — of water
  21. lean — to bend
  22. branch — a division
  23. clip — for paper
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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