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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.

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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: roll · track · wax · sharp · content · dip · mouse · current

  1. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  17. We're on a ________________ here.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  24. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. track — a song
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. wax — to grow
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. current — happening now
  11. track — to keep track
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. content — the amount
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. current — electric
  16. content — happy
  17. roll — on a roll
  18. dip — to sink
  19. content — videos and posts
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. current — of water
  22. track — a path
  23. roll — a cake
  24. roll — a list

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