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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. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to bend
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. lean — thin
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. bore — to tire
  8. wax — to grow
  9. charge — in control
  10. charge — a price
  11. club — a group
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. club — for golf
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. club — for dancing
  19. perch — the fish
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. sharp — clever
  22. charge — electricity
  23. bore — to drill
  24. mouse — the animal

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