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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. That was a fun ________________.
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. We're on a ________________ here.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  10. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. game — a match
  2. wax — to grow
  3. perch — the fish
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. roll — on a roll
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. game — a kind of play
  10. roll — a list
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. roll — a cake
  13. bore — to tire
  14. mate — to breed
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. bear — the animal
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. game — wild animals
  19. bore — to drill
  20. bear — the animal
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. mate — a partner
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. mate — a friend

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