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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: craft · perch · wax · bay · hand · key · leaves · rush

  1. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. key — for a lock
  3. craft — a skill
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. perch — the fish
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. key — the most important part
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. wax — to grow
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. hand — in cards
  17. craft — boats
  18. rush — hurry
  19. hand — help
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. key — in music
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. hand — part of the body

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