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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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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: bank · row · craft · spell · perch · chair · rest · lash

  1. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  11. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  12. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. rest — what's left
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. row — a quarrel
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. craft — a skill
  9. perch — the fish
  10. chair — to sit on
  11. row — to paddle
  12. chair — a leader
  13. rest — a break
  14. spell — magic
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. row — a line
  17. spell — a short time
  18. bank — for money
  19. craft — boats
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. spell — letters
  22. chair — a professorship
  23. rest — what's left
  24. bank — for money

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