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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 116 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 cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. current — happening now
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. current — electric
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. wax — to grow
  14. scale — size or range
  15. tear — from crying
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. tear — to rip
  18. wake — a trail
  19. current — of water
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. scale — in music
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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