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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. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. perch — the fish
  3. suit — clothes
  4. rash — a series
  5. fall — to drop
  6. firm — decided
  7. firm — a company
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. tube — the underground
  12. key — the most important part
  13. fall — the season
  14. firm — steady
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. key — for a lock
  17. key — in music
  18. rash — hasty
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. suit — to fit
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. wax — to grow
  23. suit — in cards
  24. tube — a container

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