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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 120 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: wax · perch · track · fall · stick · bay · ball · game

  1. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. That was a fun ________________.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  18. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. game — wild animals
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. wax — to grow
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. game — a kind of play
  12. track — a song
  13. ball — a great time
  14. game — a match
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. fall — to drop
  18. fall — the season
  19. ball — a dance
  20. perch — the fish
  21. fall — to drop
  22. track — to keep track
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. wax — for sculpting

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