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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. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. Have you settled on a ________________?
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. can — to be able to
  5. can — a tin
  6. current — electric
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. current — happening now
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. current — of water
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. wax — to grow
  16. bore — to tire
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. date — the fruit
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. bore — to drill

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