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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. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. perch — the fish
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. fall — the season
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. suit — to fit
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. present — a gift
  11. lie — to recline
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. wax — to grow
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. suit — clothes
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. fall — to drop
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. present — there
  21. suit — in cards
  22. plane — a tool
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. present — the time now

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