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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. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  8. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. object — a thing
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. object — an aim
  7. spring — a coil
  8. spring — of water
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. present — the time now
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. present — a gift
  13. perch — the fish
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. spring — the season
  17. pound — a weight
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. object — to protest
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. present — there
  24. pound — to hit hard

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