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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: swing · perch · mug · wax · coach · bore · craft · squash

  1. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — to grow
  2. perch — the fish
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. bore — to tire
  5. mug — a cup
  6. swing — music
  7. mug — to rob
  8. bore — to drill
  9. swing — to play on
  10. squash — to crush
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. squash — the sport
  16. swing — in golf
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. craft — boats
  22. mug — a face
  23. craft — a skill
  24. squash — the vegetable

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