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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.

Make a worksheet

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 · perch · lash · content · present · can · pit · wound

  1. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. perch — the fish
  3. wound — past of 'wind'
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. content — the amount
  7. wound — an injury
  8. can — a tin
  9. content — happy
  10. present — there
  11. present — the time now
  12. scale — size or range
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. can — to be able to
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. pit — a hole
  17. scale — in music
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. content — videos and posts
  21. pit — in a race
  22. present — a gift
  23. wound — an injury
  24. can — a tin

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