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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.

Make a worksheet

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: perch · row · wax · wave · chip · scale · object · hand

  1. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a line
  2. object — a thing
  3. hand — part of the body
  4. row — to paddle
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. row — a quarrel
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. perch — the fish
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. hand — help
  12. scale — size or range
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. scale — in music
  15. chip — for betting
  16. object — to protest
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. hand — in cards
  22. chip — to eat
  23. object — an aim
  24. wax — to grow

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