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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. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. saw — the tool
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. saw — the tool
  5. rush — hurry
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. bark — to shout
  11. prune — to trim
  12. prune — to trim
  13. suit — clothes
  14. stand — to bear
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. wax — to grow
  17. perch — the fish
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. suit — in cards
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. suit — to fit
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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