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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 strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  7. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  23. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. perch — the fish
  3. bass — low music
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. wind — moving air
  7. march — music
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. bank — of a river
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. bank — for money
  17. bank — for money
  18. wax — to grow
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. march — the month
  21. bass — the fish
  22. march — the month
  23. wind — to turn a key
  24. calf — a young animal

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