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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.

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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: racket · lash · mark · temple · firm · perch · staff · lie

  1. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. perch — the fish
  4. firm — steady
  5. firm — a company
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. firm — decided
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. mark — a grade
  16. staff — a stick
  17. lie — to recline
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. mark — a trace
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. staff — employees
  22. staff — employees
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. lash — an eyelash

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