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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. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. tear — from crying
  5. pass — a permit
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. bore — to drill
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. sharp — clever
  11. tear — to rip
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. rash — a series
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. rash — hasty
  16. bore — to tire
  17. tear — from crying
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. wax — to grow
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. perch — the fish

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