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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.

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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: wax · bore · pitcher · fine · chair · perch · current · deal

  1. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. He is an ace ________________.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  14. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. pitcher — in baseball
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. chair — a professorship
  6. deal — to handle
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. current — electric
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. chair — a leader
  14. chair — to sit on
  15. bore — to drill
  16. current — of water
  17. perch — the fish
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. bore — to tire
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. current — happening now
  22. wax — to grow
  23. fine — high quality
  24. pitcher — a jug

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