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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.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: net · file · current · wax · suit · rest

  1. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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. wax — in the ear
  4. rest — a break
  5. file — a document
  6. suit — in cards
  7. rest — what's left
  8. suit — to fit
  9. net — for catching
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. file — a line of people
  12. net — after costs
  13. suit — clothes
  14. current — of water
  15. file — a tool
  16. rest — what's left
  17. net — in sport
  18. wax — to grow

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