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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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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 owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. firm — steady
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. mug — a face
  5. face — part of the head
  6. spell — magic
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. spell — letters
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. firm — decided
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. face — to point toward
  15. spell — a short time
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. wax — to grow
  18. mug — a cup
  19. perch — the fish
  20. mug — to rob
  21. firm — a company
  22. face — to confront
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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