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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. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  3. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. wax — in the ear
  3. wax — for sculpting
  4. deal — to handle
  5. current — of water
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. lean — thin
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. degree — temperature
  10. suit — clothes
  11. suit — to fit
  12. current — electric
  13. swing — music
  14. current — happening now
  15. swing — in golf
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. lean — to bend
  18. wax — to grow
  19. degree — an amount
  20. swing — to play on
  21. suit — in cards
  22. degree — from a university
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. deal — an agreement

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