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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
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: racket · current · mark · lash · wax · last · stand · perch

  1. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. False peace will not ________________.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. stand — to bear
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. last — final
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. current — happening now
  10. current — electric
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. wax — to grow
  13. perch — the fish
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. last — finally
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. mark — a grade
  19. last — to go on
  20. mark — a trace
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. current — of water

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