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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. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. wax — to grow
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. chip — to eat
  9. pitch — completely
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. perch — the fish
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. foot — a measure
  23. chip — for betting
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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