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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
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: perch · wax · lash · scale · bear · mark · fan · bat

  1. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — for baseball
  2. wax — to grow
  3. perch — the fish
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. mark — a grade
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. bat — in an idiom
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. bear — the animal
  12. scale — size or range
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. mark — a trace
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. bear — the animal
  19. bat — the animal
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. scale — in 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