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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. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — to grow
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. fork — in a road
  5. spell — magic
  6. face — to point toward
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. club — for dancing
  11. kick — in football
  12. perch — the fish
  13. club — a group
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. spell — a short time
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. spell — letters
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. face — part of the head
  22. club — for golf
  23. kick — with a leg
  24. face — to confront

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