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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 124 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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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: scale · arm · mark · rash · lash · present · fine · perch

  1. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. perch — the fish
  6. rash — hasty
  7. scale — size or range
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. mark — a trace
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. fine — high quality
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. present — the time now
  14. fine — all right
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. present — a gift
  18. present — there
  19. rash — a series
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. scale — in music

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