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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. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. mark — a grade
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. perch — the fish
  9. pop — to visit
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. board — a committee
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. board — to get on
  14. pop — soda
  15. plane — a tool
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. mark — a trace
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. pass — a permit
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. rush — hurry
  24. board — a flat piece

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