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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: wax · drill · cabinet · nail · leaves · bear · current · pitcher

  1. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. wax — for sculpting
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. current — of water
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. current — happening now
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. drill — a practice
  13. drill — army training
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. bear — the animal
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. bear — the animal
  22. drill — the tool
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. 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