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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
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 · deal · fan · present · wax · mouse · cell · hide

  1. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. He was locked up in a ________________.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. cell — in a prison
  3. present — a gift
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. deal — to handle
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. present — the time now
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. cell — a phone
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. current — happening now
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. cell — in biology
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. current — electric
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. current — of water
  23. wax — to grow
  24. present — there

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