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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 116 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 birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  20. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. suit — in cards
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. present — a gift
  6. rock — a stone
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. suit — to fit
  9. bat — the animal
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. rock — music
  13. present — the time now
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. perch — the fish
  18. present — there
  19. bat — for baseball
  20. bat — in an idiom
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. suit — clothes
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. perch — for a bird

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