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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. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  22. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. perch — the fish
  4. bank — for money
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. suit — to fit
  7. suit — in cards
  8. suit — clothes
  9. bore — to drill
  10. charge — a price
  11. bat — the animal
  12. bank — for money
  13. roll — a cake
  14. bank — of a river
  15. bat — in an idiom
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. charge — in control
  20. charge — electricity
  21. roll — a list
  22. bat — for baseball
  23. bore — to tire
  24. perch — for a bird

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