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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. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  2. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — in an idiom
  2. bat — for baseball
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. season — in sport
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. season — of the year
  11. lie — to recline
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. object — an aim
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. bat — the animal
  17. object — a thing
  18. object — to protest
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. perch — the fish
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. lash — to lash out

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