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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. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. We're on a ________________ here.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — the fish
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. wound — an injury
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. roll — a cake
  8. bulb — for light
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. wound — an injury
  11. bulb — for light
  12. wax — to grow
  13. roll — on a roll
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. roll — a list
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. vault — a safe
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. squash — the sport
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. squash — to crush
  24. squash — the vegetable

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