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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. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. That was a fun ________________.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. can — to be able to
  4. sharp — clever
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. current — electric
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. current — happening now
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. game — a match
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. can — a tin
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. board — to get on
  18. board — a committee
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. game — wild animals
  21. can — a tin
  22. lie — to recline
  23. wax — to grow
  24. game — a kind of play

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