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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.

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: jam · perch · game · bowl · pitcher · chest · lash · plane

  1. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  8. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. That was a fun ________________.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  19. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. plane — a tool
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. perch — the fish
  5. jam — a tight spot
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. chest — of your body
  8. game — wild animals
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. game — a match
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. chest — of your body
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. chest — a box
  19. jam — to spread on bread
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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