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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
468
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: wax · bowl · present · bulb · suit · perch · patient · face

  1. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. wax — to grow
  4. present — the time now
  5. bulb — for light
  6. suit — in cards
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. face — to confront
  11. perch — the fish
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. present — a gift
  14. bulb — for light
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. suit — clothes
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. face — to point toward
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. face — part of the head
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. present — there
  23. suit — to fit
  24. bowl — a dish

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