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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. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  10. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  19. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  20. He was locked up in a ________________.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. suit — clothes
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. bear — the animal
  5. suit — to fit
  6. suit — in cards
  7. bear — the animal
  8. current — electric
  9. race — a contest
  10. cell — in biology
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. ground — a position
  14. ground — the earth
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. ground — crushed
  17. wax — to grow
  18. cell — a phone
  19. race — the arms race
  20. cell — in a prison
  21. current — of water
  22. perch — the fish
  23. current — happening now
  24. perch — for a bird

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