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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: wax · perch · board · kick · snap · deal · craft · squash

  1. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. snap — to click
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. deal — to handle
  8. perch — the fish
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. squash — the sport
  11. snap — to snap out of it
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. craft — boats
  16. craft — a skill
  17. board — a committee
  18. wax — to grow
  19. squash — to crush
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. kick — in football
  23. board — to get on
  24. kick — a thrill

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