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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 116 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: wake · mouse · perch · mark · bass · calf · lean · tear

  1. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  14. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — to rip
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. perch — the fish
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. lean — to bend
  6. mark — a trace
  7. bass — the fish
  8. bass — low music
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. tear — from crying
  14. tear — from crying
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. wake — a trail
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. lean — thin
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. mark — a grade
  24. perch — for a bird

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