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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. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. saw — the tool
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. deal — to handle
  13. pound — a weight
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. saw — the tool
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. pitch — completely
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. perch — the fish

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