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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 train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  13. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. wound — an injury
  3. lie — to recline
  4. wound — past of 'wind'
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. mug — a face
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. wound — an injury
  13. kid — to tease
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. mug — a cup
  16. stem — to come from
  17. kid — child
  18. wax — to grow
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. mug — to rob
  24. perch — the fish

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