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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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. There's no middle ________________.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. ground — a position
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. scale — size or range
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. suit — in cards
  8. spell — magic
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. ground — crushed
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. mate — to breed
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. wax — to grow
  15. scale — in music
  16. suit — to fit
  17. mate — a friend
  18. ground — the earth
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. perch — the fish
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. mate — a partner
  23. spell — letters
  24. spell — a short time

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