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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 116 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 muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. wax — to grow
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. suit — clothes
  6. drill — army training
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. suit — in cards
  9. track — to keep track
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. spell — letters
  14. track — a song
  15. perch — the fish
  16. suit — to fit
  17. spell — a short time
  18. drill — the tool
  19. spell — magic
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. lie — to recline
  22. drill — a practice
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. lie — an untruth

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