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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 124 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. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a friend
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. lean — to bend
  5. rash — a series
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. perch — the fish
  8. mate — a partner
  9. rash — hasty
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. mate — to breed
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. lean — thin
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. wax — to grow
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. foot — a measure
  24. bay — a horse colour

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