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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. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. chair — a leader
  3. bore — to tire
  4. stand — to bear
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. chair — a professorship
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. lean — to bend
  10. mug — a cup
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. mug — a face
  13. lean — thin
  14. bore — to drill
  15. perch — the fish
  16. chair — to sit on
  17. mug — to rob
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. lie — to recline
  23. wax — to grow
  24. lean — to rest against

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