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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
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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: arm · rock · perch · craft · cap · saw · sharp · wax

  1. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  2. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. perch — the fish
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. saw — the tool
  5. cap — a lid
  6. cap — of ice
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. saw — the tool
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. rock — a stone
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. wax — to grow
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. sharp — clever
  19. craft — boats
  20. craft — a skill
  21. cap — a hat
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. rock — music

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