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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  21. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  22. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. prune — to trim
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. kick — in football
  7. dip — to sink
  8. perch — the fish
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. kid — to tease
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. kid — child
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. wax — to grow
  20. row — to paddle
  21. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  22. row — a line
  23. prune — to trim
  24. row — a quarrel

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