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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. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. season — of the year
  2. perch — the fish
  3. rash — hasty
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. shower — a meteor shower
  6. suit — clothes
  7. rash — a series
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. shower — to wash
  11. suit — in cards
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. wax — to grow
  17. suit — to fit
  18. saw — the tool
  19. fork — in a road
  20. shower — rain
  21. season — in sport
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. saw — the tool

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