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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: stand · lash · perch · snap · band · arm · prune · safe

  1. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. prune — to trim
  4. band — a rubber band
  5. snap — to click
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. prune — to trim
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. stand — to bear
  12. snap — to speak sharply
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. band — a music group
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. perch — the fish
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. band — a ring
  24. safe — out of danger

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