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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. staff — a stick
  4. wax — to grow
  5. staff — employees
  6. suit — clothes
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. staff — employees
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. scale — in music
  11. charge — a price
  12. perch — the fish
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. charge — electricity
  17. suit — in cards
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. scale — size or range
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. suit — to fit
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. charge — in control
  24. scale — for weighing

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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