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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.

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: rash · coach · racket · capital · lash · perch · foot · scale

  1. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. foot — a measure
  5. scale — size or range
  6. capital — a big letter
  7. perch — the fish
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. capital — money
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. rash — a series
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. rash — hasty
  18. scale — in music
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. capital — a city
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. lash — to lash out

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