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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: pitcher · perch · prune · wake · wax · tube · object · bay

  1. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. He is an ace ________________.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. pitcher — in baseball
  3. object — a thing
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. tube — the underground
  10. prune — to trim
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. tube — a container
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. wax — to grow
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. prune — to trim
  20. object — to protest
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. object — an aim
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. perch — the fish

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