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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — the fish
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. dip — to sink
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. snap — to click
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. pound — a weight
  13. snap — to snap out of it
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. plane — a tool
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. rest — what's left
  20. rest — what's left
  21. rest — a break
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  24. pound — for dogs

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