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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. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  13. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  23. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. mark — a trace
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. tear — to rip
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. club — a group
  8. saw — the tool
  9. mark — a grade
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. shower — rain
  13. tear — from crying
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. shower — to wash
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. tear — from crying
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. perch — the fish
  21. club — for dancing
  22. club — for golf
  23. shower — a meteor shower
  24. saw — the tool

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