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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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468
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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. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  6. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  19. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. perch — the fish
  5. bark — of a tree
  6. fall — the season
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. fall — to drop
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. stand — to bear
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. fall — to drop
  19. bark — to shout
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. stand — on your feet
  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