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

Word bank: wax · perch · rest · stock · toast · rash · wake · face

  1. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  19. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. perch — the fish
  2. rest — a break
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. face — to point toward
  6. toast — a drink to someone
  7. wax — to grow
  8. stock — goods
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. rest — what's left
  12. stock — shares
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. face — to confront
  16. wake — a trail
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. toast — bread
  19. toast — the most admired
  20. face — part of the head
  21. rash — a series
  22. rest — what's left
  23. rash — hasty
  24. stock — a soup base

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