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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: content · wax · current · nail · rock · wake · bay · firm

  1. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  11. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. content — happy
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. wax — to grow
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. current — of water
  9. current — happening now
  10. content — the amount
  11. content — videos and posts
  12. firm — decided
  13. firm — a company
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. rock — music
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. firm — steady
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. rock — a stone
  21. wake — a trail
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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