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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
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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: rest · perch · bay · scale · can · stock · wax · lie

  1. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — the fish
  2. stock — shares
  3. scale — size or range
  4. stock — goods
  5. wax — to grow
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. can — to be able to
  9. lie — to recline
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. rest — what's left
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. rest — a break
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. can — a tin
  19. scale — in music
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. rest — what's left
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. can — a tin

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