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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 120 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: rock · club · perch · pit · band · bowl · can · wax

  1. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. wax — in the ear
  3. can — a tin
  4. can — to be able to
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. pit — a hole
  7. can — a tin
  8. club — for golf
  9. club — for dancing
  10. perch — the fish
  11. pit — in a race
  12. wax — to grow
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. band — a music group
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. rock — music
  20. club — a group
  21. band — a ring
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. perch — for a bird

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