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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. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. rock — music
  3. squash — to crush
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. perch — the fish
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. can — to be able to
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. mug — a cup
  13. hand — in cards
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. wax — to grow
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. can — a tin
  19. mug — to rob
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. can — a tin
  22. hand — help
  23. rock — a stone
  24. squash — the sport

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