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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: lash · perch · prune · hide · stick · key · fine · calf

  1. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — the fish
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. key — the most important part
  7. key — for a lock
  8. prune — to trim
  9. fine — all right
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. key — in music
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. fine — high quality
  24. prune — to trim

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