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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 owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. He works in a ________________ mill.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. plane — a tool
  4. mug — a face
  5. perch — the fish
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. mug — a cup
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. tear — to rip
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. tear — from crying
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. tear — from crying
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. wax — to grow
  22. mug — to rob
  23. saw — the tool
  24. saw — the tool

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