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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: wax · bark · season · cap · bore · swing · mug · perch

  1. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. bore — to drill
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. cap — a lid
  5. swing — to play on
  6. cap — of ice
  7. mug — a cup
  8. cap — a hat
  9. season — of the year
  10. bore — to tire
  11. swing — in golf
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. season — in sport
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. mug — a face
  16. perch — the fish
  17. wax — to grow
  18. mug — to rob
  19. bark — of a tree
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. bark — to shout
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. season — to add flavour

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