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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 museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  2. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — for sculpting
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. charge — in control
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. fork — in a road
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. charge — a price
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. charge — electricity
  14. wound — an injury
  15. squash — the sport
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. wax — to grow
  19. wound — an injury
  20. perch — the fish
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. squash — to crush
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. fork — a garden 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