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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.

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: perch · fall · hand · wax · deal · current · suit · bowl

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  13. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. hand — in cards
  3. perch — the fish
  4. hand — help
  5. current — happening now
  6. suit — clothes
  7. fall — to drop
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. suit — to fit
  10. current — of water
  11. deal — to handle
  12. fall — to drop
  13. fall — the season
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. wax — to grow
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. hand — part of the body
  20. current — electric
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. deal — a big deal

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