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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.

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: saw · fan · lash · pit · wax · plane · present · perch

  1. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. present — there
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. wax — to grow
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. present — the time now
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. saw — the tool
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. saw — the tool
  14. plane — a tool
  15. perch — the fish
  16. pit — in a race
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. pit — a hole
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. present — a gift

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