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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 · fan · firm · calf · deal · fork · wax · sharp

  1. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. wax — to grow
  4. firm — decided
  5. deal — to handle
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. firm — a company
  9. sharp — clever
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. fork — in a road
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. firm — steady
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. perch — the fish

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