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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. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. perch — the fish
  7. fine — high quality
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. fine — all right
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. swing — in golf
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. swing — to play on
  15. swing — music
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. tube — the underground
  22. tube — a container
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. calf — a young animal

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