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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. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  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. staff — employees
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. band — a rubber band
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. band — a ring
  6. bore — to tire
  7. bear — the animal
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. perch — the fish
  11. bore — to drill
  12. band — a music group
  13. staff — employees
  14. wax — to grow
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. pass — a permit
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. bear — the animal
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. staff — a stick
  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