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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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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: rest · rule · wax · swing · toast · present · fan · current

  1. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  20. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. current — electric
  4. current — of water
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. present — the time now
  7. present — a gift
  8. current — happening now
  9. rest — what's left
  10. rule — government
  11. swing — to play on
  12. rule — a law
  13. present — there
  14. rest — a break
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. toast — the most admired
  20. toast — bread
  21. wax — to grow
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. rest — what's left
  24. swing — in golf

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