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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. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  9. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. shower — to wash
  9. shower — a meteor shower
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. bass — the fish
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. bass — low music
  15. shower — rain
  16. bear — the animal
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. bear — the animal
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. wax — to grow
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. perch — the fish
  24. calf — of the leg

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