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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.

Make a worksheet

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. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. We're on a ________________ here.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. tube — a container
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. roll — a cake
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. roll — on a roll
  7. perch — the fish
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. roll — a list
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. tube — the underground
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. wax — to grow
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. rush — hurry

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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