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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 tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. saw — the tool
  3. mate — a friend
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. suit — in cards
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. bass — the fish
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. perch — the fish
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. suit — to fit
  14. mate — to breed
  15. mate — a partner
  16. bass — low music
  17. saw — the tool
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. squash — to crush
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. squash — the sport
  23. squash — the vegetable
  24. suit — clothes

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