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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: ground · cabinet · wax · mug · cell · prune · current · sharp

  1. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. He was locked up in a ________________.
  23. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. wax — in the ear
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. current — happening now
  5. cell — a phone
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. current — electric
  9. cell — in biology
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. mug — a cup
  12. prune — to trim
  13. mug — to rob
  14. ground — a position
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. current — of water
  18. mug — a face
  19. ground — crushed
  20. sharp — clever
  21. prune — to trim
  22. cell — in a prison
  23. ground — the earth
  24. wax — to grow

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