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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: dip · firm · straw · wax · perch · bear · roll · sharp

  1. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  6. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. We're on a ________________ here.
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  24. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. bear — the animal
  3. firm — steady
  4. wax — to grow
  5. straw — to clutch at straws
  6. roll — a list
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. firm — a company
  9. sharp — clever
  10. perch — the fish
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. straw — a straw man
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. roll — on a roll
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. firm — decided
  20. bear — the animal
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. straw — dry grass
  24. roll — a cake

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