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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'll be taking the ________________.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. bound — tied together
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. mate — to breed
  5. charge — a price
  6. tube — a container
  7. mate — a partner
  8. current — happening now
  9. file — a line of people
  10. current — electric
  11. file — a tool
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. charge — in control
  14. cue — a signal
  15. cue — a hint
  16. mate — a friend
  17. bound — certain
  18. file — a document
  19. charge — electricity
  20. bound — obliged
  21. cue — for pool
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. wax — to grow
  24. current — of water

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