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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: net · temple · kick · perch · roll · patient · wax · wake

  1. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. We're on a ________________ here.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a cake
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. wax — for sculpting
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. roll — a list
  8. net — for catching
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. wax — to grow
  11. net — after costs
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. wake — a trail
  14. roll — on a roll
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. kick — in football
  20. perch — the fish
  21. net — in sport
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. temple — a place of worship

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