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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
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: wax · wound · leaves · rule · perch · racket · cabinet · mug

  1. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. wound — past of 'wind'
  5. perch — the fish
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. mug — to rob
  9. mug — a cup
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. wound — an injury
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. rule — government
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. mug — a face
  19. rule — a law
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. wound — an injury
  22. wax — to grow
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. racket — for tennis

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