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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: roll · toast · perch · pound · court · rush · wax · present

  1. The ball is in your ________________.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. We're on a ________________ here.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  19. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  20. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  24. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. court — for sport
  2. present — a gift
  3. present — there
  4. perch — the fish
  5. present — the time now
  6. toast — bread
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. wax — to grow
  11. rush — hurry
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. court — of a king
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. pound — a weight
  16. roll — on a roll
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. toast — a drink to someone
  19. court — of law
  20. roll — a list
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. toast — the most admired
  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