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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 116 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. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. hand — in cards
  3. wax — to grow
  4. bound — tied together
  5. stand — to bear
  6. perch — the fish
  7. bear — the animal
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. bound — certain
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. hand — help
  12. hand — part of the body
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. craft — a skill
  15. craft — boats
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. bound — obliged
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. lie — to recline
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. wax — for sculpting

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