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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. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. False peace will not ________________.
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — in the ear
  2. rock — a stone
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. wax — to grow
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. present — a gift
  9. kick — in football
  10. present — the time now
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. dip — to sink
  14. present — there
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. last — finally
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. last — final
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. perch — the fish
  21. rock — music
  22. last — to go on
  23. kick — with a leg
  24. rock — to move gently

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