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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. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. Have you settled on a ________________?
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. rest — what's left
  3. staff — employees
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. bore — to drill
  11. rest — what's left
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. perch — the fish
  14. staff — employees
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. wax — to grow
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. staff — a stick
  19. date — the fruit
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. plane — a tool
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. bore — to tire

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