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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: perch · track · wax · cap · patient · face · stick · jam

  1. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. track — to keep track
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. cap — of ice
  5. track — a path
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. cap — a lid
  8. face — to confront
  9. face — part of the head
  10. wax — to grow
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. jam — in traffic
  17. perch — the fish
  18. face — to point toward
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. cap — a hat
  23. track — a song
  24. wax — in the ear

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