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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 moon will ________________ and wane.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — to grow
  2. perch — the fish
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. suit — clothes
  6. suit — in cards
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. fine — high quality
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. fine — all right
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. scale — in music
  18. suit — to fit
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. scale — size or range
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. bay — a part of the sea

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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