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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. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. perch — the fish
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. ball — a great time
  7. wax — to grow
  8. press — a publisher
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. ball — a dance
  12. suit — to fit
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. press — to push
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. suit — clothes
  19. wake — a trail
  20. suit — in cards
  21. press — newspapers
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. perch — for a bird

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