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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. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  14. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  15. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. pop — soda
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. rest — a break
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. rest — what's left
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. toast — bread
  11. rest — what's left
  12. pop — to visit
  13. toast — a drink to someone
  14. spring — the season
  15. toast — the most admired
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. perch — the fish
  18. pop — music
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. spring — a coil
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. spring — of water
  24. hide — to keep secret

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