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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 120 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. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. rest — what's left
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. rest — a break
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. branch — a division
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. lean — to bend
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. suit — in cards
  13. suit — to fit
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. prune — to trim
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. rest — what's left
  19. perch — the fish
  20. prune — to trim
  21. suit — clothes
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. wax — to grow

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