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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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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. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. lie — to recline
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. perch — the fish
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. craft — boats
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. cap — a hat
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. rock — music
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. kick — in football
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. cap — of ice
  20. rock — a stone
  21. cap — a lid
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. craft — a skill

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