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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.

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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: spell · wax · perch · mark · hide · net · sharp · coach

  1. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — the fish
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. net — in sport
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. wax — in the ear
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. mark — a trace
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. net — for catching
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. spell — letters
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. mark — a grade
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. spell — magic
  18. spell — a short time
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. net — after costs
  21. sharp — clever
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. wax — to grow

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