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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 116 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 moon will ________________ and wane.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. wax — to grow
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. perch — the fish
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. bound — certain
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. bound — obliged
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. bound — tied together
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. fan — to cool the air

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