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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. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — for sculpting
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. rock — music
  5. suit — in cards
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. suit — clothes
  8. swing — in golf
  9. suit — to fit
  10. perch — the fish
  11. net — after costs
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. net — in sport
  15. net — for catching
  16. rock — a stone
  17. swing — to play on
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. wax — to grow
  22. swing — music
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. leaves — lets stay

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