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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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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: bay · perch · date · craft · rest · patient · squash · wax

  1. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  6. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. Have you settled on a ________________?
  12. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. date — the fruit
  6. wax — in the ear
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. rest — what's left
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. craft — a skill
  17. squash — to crush
  18. craft — boats
  19. rest — a break
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. squash — the sport
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. wax — to grow
  24. perch — the fish

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