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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. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. face — part of the head
  3. net — after costs
  4. wax — to grow
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. rash — hasty
  7. present — the time now
  8. staff — a stick
  9. staff — employees
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. face — to point toward
  12. present — there
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. rash — a series
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. board — to get on
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. staff — employees
  20. board — a committee
  21. net — in sport
  22. present — a gift
  23. perch — the fish
  24. face — to confront

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