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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. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  7. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. swing — to play on
  6. season — in sport
  7. club — for golf
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. swing — music
  10. club — a group
  11. rush — hurry
  12. club — for dancing
  13. season — of the year
  14. lean — thin
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. rash — hasty
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. swing — in golf
  19. rash — a series
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. perch — the fish
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. lean — to bend
  24. rush — to hurry

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