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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. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. We're on a ________________ here.
  10. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. firm — decided
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. firm — steady
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. roll — on a roll
  10. roll — a cake
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. tube — the underground
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. firm — a company
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. perch — the fish
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. lie — to recline
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. roll — a list
  24. tube — a container

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