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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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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: bulb · pitcher · can · deal · rash · wax · bank · perch

  1. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. perch — the fish
  3. can — to be able to
  4. bank — for money
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. wax — to grow
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. can — a tin
  9. bank — for money
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. rash — hasty
  16. deal — to handle
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. can — a tin
  19. bulb — for light
  20. bank — of a river
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. bulb — for light
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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