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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.

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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 · bat · deal · track · chip · lie · suit

  1. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — the fish
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. bat — in an idiom
  4. lie — to recline
  5. track — to keep track
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. wax — to grow
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. chip — to eat
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. suit — clothes
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. chip — for betting
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. track — a path
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. track — a song
  18. suit — in cards
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. bat — for baseball
  21. deal — to handle
  22. suit — to fit
  23. bat — the animal
  24. deal — an agreement

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