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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. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. The water is too ________________.
  3. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. cold — not warm
  3. cold — the Cold War
  4. wax — to grow
  5. suit — clothes
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. rock — music
  8. suit — to fit
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. cold — an illness
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. perch — the fish
  13. bear — the animal
  14. pop — soda
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. pop — music
  17. stand — to bear
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. suit — in cards
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. pop — to visit
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. rock — a stone

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