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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 116 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: present · wax · lie · current · nail · deal · pitcher · drill

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  19. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. wax — in the ear
  3. current — electric
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. present — the time now
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. present — there
  9. present — a gift
  10. deal — to handle
  11. current — happening now
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. wax — to grow
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. current — of water
  16. lie — to recline
  17. drill — a practice
  18. drill — the tool
  19. drill — army training
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. deal — an agreement
  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