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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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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. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — the fish
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. club — for dancing
  5. drill — a practice
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. drill — army training
  10. drill — the tool
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. pitch — completely
  16. bulb — for light
  17. branch — a division
  18. club — a group
  19. club — for golf
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. bulb — for light
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. branch — of a bank

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