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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: perch · lash · straw · arm · sharp · rule · stand · root

  1. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. root — the cause
  3. perch — the fish
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. rule — government
  9. root — of a word
  10. straw — to clutch at straws
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. rule — a law
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. root — of a plant
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. sharp — clever
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. stand — to bear
  23. sharp — exactly
  24. lash — an eyelash

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