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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 116 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. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. bark — of a tree
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. firm — steady
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. rush — hurry
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. bark — to shout
  14. firm — decided
  15. pit — a hole
  16. pit — in a race
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. firm — a company
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. perch — the fish
  22. craft — boats
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. craft — a skill

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