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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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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: safe · foot · perch · wax · kick · fall · hide · squash

  1. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  3. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. fall — to drop
  3. wax — for sculpting
  4. perch — the fish
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. wax — to grow
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. fall — the season
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. squash — to crush
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. kick — in football
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. fall — to drop
  18. squash — the sport
  19. foot — a measure
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. safe — out of danger

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