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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. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. charge — a price
  4. ball — a great time
  5. current — electric
  6. current — of water
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. track — to keep track
  10. mine — for digging
  11. track — a song
  12. mine — belonging to me
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. charge — in control
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. ball — a dance
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. track — a path
  21. mine — an explosive
  22. vault — a safe
  23. charge — electricity
  24. wax — to grow

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