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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. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. current — electric
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. spell — magic
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. march — music
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. foot — a measure
  12. spell — a short time
  13. current — of water
  14. march — the month
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. track — to keep track
  17. track — a path
  18. track — a song
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. wax — to grow
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. spell — letters
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. march — the month

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