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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. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. We're on a ________________ here.
  12. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. mark — a trace
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. rash — a series
  5. rash — hasty
  6. mark — a grade
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. drill — the tool
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. drill — a practice
  11. roll — on a roll
  12. roll — a list
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. chip — to eat
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. bank — for money
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. bank — for money
  19. drill — army training
  20. bank — of a river
  21. perch — the fish
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. roll — a cake
  24. chip — for betting

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