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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 124 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 lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — a box
  2. lean — thin
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. bark — to shout
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. object — a thing
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. perch — the fish
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. chest — of your body
  16. object — to protest
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. lean — to bend
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. wax — to grow
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. chest — of your body
  24. object — an aim

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