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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.

Make a worksheet

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: file · key · roll · saw · racket · perch · wax · bass

  1. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. We're on a ________________ here.
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. bass — low music
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. roll — a cake
  7. key — for a lock
  8. bass — the fish
  9. key — in music
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. wax — to grow
  12. roll — a list
  13. perch — the fish
  14. saw — the tool
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. file — a tool
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. file — a line of people
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. file — a document
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. roll — on a roll
  23. saw — the tool
  24. key — the most important part

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