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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 120 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 kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. There's no middle ________________.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. ground — a position
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. current — happening now
  6. swing — in golf
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. current — electric
  10. swing — to play on
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. swing — music
  13. ground — the earth
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. wax — to grow
  16. current — of water
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. scale — in music
  20. lie — to recline
  21. scale — size or range
  22. ground — crushed
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. lie — an untruth

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