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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. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. mate — to breed
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. charge — a price
  5. charge — electricity
  6. season — in sport
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. net — in sport
  11. mate — a partner
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. season — of the year
  14. perch — the fish
  15. net — for catching
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. mate — a friend
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. charge — in control
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. net — after costs
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. season — to add flavour

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