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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
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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: perch · cap · toast · leaves · spell · present · wax · firm

  1. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. spell — a short time
  3. firm — decided
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. cap — a hat
  7. cap — of ice
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. present — there
  10. toast — bread
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. spell — letters
  13. firm — a company
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. firm — steady
  16. present — a gift
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. wax — to grow
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. spell — magic
  22. perch — the fish
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. cap — a lid

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