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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: row · bulb · perch · wax · craft · face · toast · scale

  1. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. face — part of the head
  4. scale — in music
  5. bulb — for light
  6. face — to confront
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. face — to point toward
  10. toast — bread
  11. craft — a skill
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. scale — size or range
  15. row — a line
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. craft — boats
  18. bulb — for light
  19. perch — the fish
  20. wax — to grow
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. toast — a drink to someone
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. perch — for a bird

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