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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. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  13. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  14. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. drill — a practice
  4. drill — army training
  5. perch — the fish
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. drill — the tool
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. tear — from crying
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. march — music
  13. march — the month
  14. march — the month
  15. can — a tin
  16. tear — from crying
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. tear — to rip
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. can — a tin
  24. can — to be able to

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