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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 116 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. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. perch — the fish
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. sharp — clever
  9. rule — government
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. rule — a law
  12. drill — army training
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. pit — in a race
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. pit — a hole
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. drill — a practice
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. drill — the tool
  24. sharp — with an edge

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