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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: present · mouse · game · perch · wax · patient · bay · pop

  1. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  7. That was a fun ________________.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  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. wax — in the ear
  2. present — a gift
  3. present — the time now
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. game — a kind of play
  7. game — a match
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. pop — to visit
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. pop — soda
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. game — wild animals
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. pop — music
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. present — there
  21. wax — to grow
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. mouse — for a computer
  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