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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 120 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. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. The ball is in your ________________.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — the fish
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. lean — thin
  4. court — of law
  5. lean — to bend
  6. pop — to visit
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. court — for sport
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. court — of a king
  14. pop — soda
  15. pop — music
  16. charge — in control
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. charge — electricity
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. charge — a price
  24. trunk — of a tree

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