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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: rock · bowl · wax · mark · stick · spell · current · net

  1. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. net — in sport
  4. net — for catching
  5. current — happening now
  6. spell — letters
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. mark — a grade
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. wax — to grow
  12. rock — a stone
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. current — electric
  16. current — of water
  17. rock — music
  18. mark — a trace
  19. net — after costs
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. spell — magic
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. spell — a short time

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