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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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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: saw · bowl · jam · dip · wax · can · cap · current

  1. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a dish
  2. current — happening now
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. current — electric
  10. current — of water
  11. can — a tin
  12. can — a tin
  13. cap — a hat
  14. cap — a lid
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. saw — the tool
  17. wax — to grow
  18. saw — the tool
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. can — to be able to
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. cap — of ice
  24. dip — to sink

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