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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: snap · perch · rule · suit · plane · bank · mouse · lash

  1. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to speak sharply
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. suit — to fit
  4. bank — for money
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. plane — a tool
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. rule — a law
  15. rule — government
  16. suit — clothes
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. snap — to click
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. perch — the fish
  22. bank — of a river
  23. bank — for money
  24. suit — in cards

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