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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. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — to wash
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. lie — to recline
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. wax — to grow
  12. shower — a meteor shower
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. shower — rain
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. pass — a permit
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. perch — the fish
  24. deal — to handle

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