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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: racket · pit · swing · drill · lash · perch · cap · arm

  1. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  19. David sat on the ________________.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. drill — the tool
  3. pit — a hole
  4. perch — the fish
  5. drill — army training
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. pit — in a race
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. swing — in golf
  10. cap — of ice
  11. cap — a lid
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. swing — music
  19. swing — to play on
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. cap — a hat

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