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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. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. wax — in the ear
  3. dip — to sink
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. lean — thin
  8. lean — to bend
  9. club — a group
  10. club — for golf
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. rule — a law
  13. rule — government
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. stock — shares
  17. stock — goods
  18. current — electric
  19. current — happening now
  20. wax — to grow
  21. bear — the animal
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. club — for dancing
  24. current — of water

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