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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. swing — to play on
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. pound — a weight
  15. perch — the fish
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. scale — in music
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. swing — in golf
  24. swing — music

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