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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 120 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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. row — a quarrel
  3. perch — the fish
  4. row — a line
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. march — the month
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. drill — army training
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. drill — a practice
  13. can — to be able to
  14. vault — a safe
  15. can — a tin
  16. drill — the tool
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. row — to paddle
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. march — music
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. rush — hurry
  24. march — the month

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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