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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. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. present — there
  5. present — a gift
  6. pass — a permit
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. band — a music group
  12. perch — the fish
  13. band — a ring
  14. firm — a company
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. firm — steady
  19. present — the time now
  20. foot — a measure
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. firm — decided
  24. pitcher — a jug

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