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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. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. can — a tin
  3. bat — the animal
  4. can — to be able to
  5. bat — in an idiom
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. can — a tin
  10. wax — to grow
  11. bat — for baseball
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. swing — to play on
  14. swing — in golf
  15. object — an aim
  16. board — a committee
  17. board — to get on
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. rock — music
  21. rock — a stone
  22. object — to protest
  23. perch — the fish
  24. swing — music

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