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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. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  7. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. current — electric
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. march — the month
  7. march — music
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. current — happening now
  11. firm — a company
  12. firm — decided
  13. march — the month
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. plane — a tool
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. firm — steady
  21. wax — to grow
  22. current — of water
  23. bear — the animal
  24. kick — in football

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