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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 little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. Did you ________________ the meat?
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. mug — to rob
  3. mug — a cup
  4. drill — the tool
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. charge — in control
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. stand — to bear
  9. season — to add flavour
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. season — of the year
  13. drill — a practice
  14. charge — electricity
  15. wax — to grow
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. drill — army training
  18. bear — the animal
  19. mug — a face
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. charge — a price
  22. perch — the fish
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. season — in sport

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