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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 birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  11. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  24. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. pop — soda
  4. suit — in cards
  5. rock — a stone
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. perch — the fish
  8. pop — music
  9. rock — music
  10. clip — a video
  11. clip — for paper
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. suit — to fit
  14. clip — to cut
  15. suit — clothes
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. chair — to sit on
  22. pop — to visit
  23. chair — a professorship
  24. chair — a leader

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