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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 · chair · staff · nail · track · arm · current · bulb

  1. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — in the ear
  2. track — to keep track
  3. staff — employees
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. bulb — for light
  11. staff — a stick
  12. current — happening now
  13. chair — a leader
  14. current — electric
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. bulb — for light
  17. track — a song
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. wax — to grow
  20. current — of water
  21. track — a path
  22. staff — employees
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. chair — a professorship

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