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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: safe · current · wax · prune · spell · fan · last · cap

  1. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. False peace will not ________________.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. spell — a short time
  3. wax — to grow
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. last — to go on
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. current — electric
  9. cap — a hat
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. prune — to trim
  13. current — happening now
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. cap — of ice
  17. prune — to trim
  18. last — final
  19. spell — letters
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. last — finally
  22. current — of water
  23. spell — magic
  24. wax — for sculpting

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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