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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: rock · staff · current · fork · club · chest · rash · wax

  1. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — a box
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. chest — of your body
  4. rash — hasty
  5. rash — a series
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. current — of water
  9. rock — music
  10. current — happening now
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. rock — a stone
  13. chest — of your body
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. current — electric
  16. staff — employees
  17. staff — a stick
  18. fork — in a road
  19. club — for golf
  20. staff — employees
  21. wax — to grow
  22. club — a group
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. club — for dancing

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