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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 120 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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: current · wax · vault · file · fan · bulb · fork · spell

  1. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. current — electric
  4. vault — a safe
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. fork — in a road
  7. bulb — for light
  8. current — of water
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. bulb — for light
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. current — happening now
  13. wax — to grow
  14. file — a tool
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. spell — letters
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. file — a document
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. spell — a short time
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. file — a line of people

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