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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. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  11. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  18. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  19. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. chest — of your body
  2. net — for catching
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. current — happening now
  5. wax — to grow
  6. current — electric
  7. stock — goods
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. chest — a box
  11. wound — an injury
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. net — in sport
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. wound — an injury
  18. wound — past of 'wind'
  19. chest — of your body
  20. current — of water
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. net — after costs
  23. stock — shares
  24. wax — in the ear

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