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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. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. charge — a price
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. fall — to drop
  5. rock — music
  6. perch — the fish
  7. fall — to drop
  8. charge — in control
  9. prune — to trim
  10. bear — the animal
  11. prune — to trim
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. charge — electricity
  14. fall — the season
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. rock — a stone
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. bear — the animal
  20. fine — high quality
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. fine — all right
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. perch — for a bird

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