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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.

Make a worksheet

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 · last · board · calf · rush · pit · present · perch

  1. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  9. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. False peace will not ________________.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. board — to get on
  4. pit — in a race
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. last — finally
  9. last — final
  10. present — a gift
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. rush — hurry
  15. board — a committee
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. pit — a hole
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. wax — to grow
  20. last — to go on
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. perch — the fish
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. present — the time now

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