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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 owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. That was a fun ________________.
  14. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  15. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  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. perch — for a bird
  2. game — wild animals
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. perch — the fish
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. game — a kind of play
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. bass — the fish
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. game — a match
  14. fall — to drop
  15. fall — to drop
  16. bass — low music
  17. suit — to fit
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. fall — the season
  21. suit — in cards
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  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