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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. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. He is an ace ________________.
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. pitcher — in baseball
  3. wax — to grow
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. row — a quarrel
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. suit — clothes
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. row — a line
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. perch — the fish
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. suit — to fit
  17. saw — the tool
  18. saw — the tool
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. suit — in cards
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. wax — in the ear

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