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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. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  7. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. That was a fun ________________.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. perch — the fish
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. game — a kind of play
  7. game — wild animals
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. wax — to grow
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. can — to be able to
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. can — a tin
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. can — a tin
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. game — a match
  21. bear — the animal
  22. bear — the animal
  23. stand — to bear
  24. bear — to put up with

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