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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 120 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: band · perch · cabinet · object · wax · bay · court · mark

  1. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. band — a ring
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. object — an aim
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. perch — the fish
  9. mark — a trace
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. court — for sport
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. wax — to grow
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. band — a rubber band
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. court — of law
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. object — to protest
  22. court — of a king
  23. object — a thing
  24. band — a music group

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