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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 hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  11. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. suit — clothes
  4. perch — the fish
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. band — a music group
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. hand — help
  11. band — a ring
  12. suit — to fit
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. hand — in cards
  16. object — to protest
  17. scale — size or range
  18. object — an aim
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. wax — to grow
  21. object — a thing
  22. suit — in cards
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. scale — in 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