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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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — the fish
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. fall — to drop
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. lie — to recline
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. wax — to grow
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. fall — to drop
  17. face — to point toward
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. face — part of the head
  23. face — to confront
  24. fall — the season

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