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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 120 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. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. He was locked up in a ________________.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. scale — size or range
  6. perch — the fish
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. cell — in a prison
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. lean — to bend
  11. lean — thin
  12. cell — in biology
  13. rock — music
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. cell — a phone
  16. scale — in music
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. plane — a tool
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. rock — a stone

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