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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.

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. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  18. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. tear — from crying
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. scale — size or range
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. lean — to bend
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. bass — low music
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. rush — hurry
  17. tear — to rip
  18. tear — from crying
  19. perch — the fish
  20. lean — thin
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. bass — the fish
  24. lash — an eyelash

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