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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: suit · mouse · press · wax · arm · stock · perch · bear

  1. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. press — to push
  6. wax — to grow
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. stock — shares
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. perch — the fish
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. suit — to fit
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. bear — the animal
  17. press — a publisher
  18. suit — in cards
  19. press — newspapers
  20. bear — the animal
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. suit — clothes
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. stock — goods

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