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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: perch · net · lean · staff · chair · vault · kick · wax

  1. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. perch — the fish
  3. lean — thin
  4. lean — to bend
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. chair — a professorship
  7. staff — employees
  8. chair — to sit on
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. staff — employees
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. vault — a safe
  16. chair — a leader
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. kick — in football
  20. net — for catching
  21. net — after costs
  22. wax — to grow
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. staff — a stick

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