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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. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. staff — employees
  5. charge — a price
  6. rock — music
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. staff — a stick
  9. rock — a stone
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. staff — employees
  12. charge — in control
  13. charge — electricity
  14. tear — to rip
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. mate — a friend
  17. mate — to breed
  18. fork — in a road
  19. perch — the fish
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. tear — from crying
  23. mate — a partner
  24. leaves — of a tree

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