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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. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  2. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  22. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. perch — the fish
  2. chest — a box
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. kick — in football
  5. pop — soda
  6. toast — bread
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. wax — to grow
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. pop — music
  12. toast — the most admired
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. ball — a great time
  17. ball — a dance
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. chest — of your body
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. chest — of your body
  22. toast — a drink to someone
  23. pop — to visit
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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