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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: lie · straw · perch · net · rash · toast · wax · deal

  1. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  20. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. net — for catching
  3. deal — to handle
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. wax — to grow
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. net — in sport
  10. toast — a drink to someone
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. straw — dry grass
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. straw — to clutch at straws
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. rash — a series
  17. straw — a straw man
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. toast — the most admired
  20. toast — bread
  21. rash — hasty
  22. net — after costs
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. perch — the fish

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