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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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  6. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  10. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. rash — hasty
  5. march — music
  6. march — the month
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. rash — a series
  9. march — the month
  10. wound — an injury
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. wound — an injury
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. perch — the fish
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. wound — past of 'wind'
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. deal — to handle
  24. lash — an eyelash

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