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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: lash · dip · perch · clip · stock · foot · land · present

  1. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. When are we going to ________________?
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — for paper
  2. dip — to sink
  3. clip — to cut
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. clip — a video
  9. stock — shares
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. perch — the fish
  13. land — a country
  14. present — there
  15. land — ground
  16. present — a gift
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. present — the time now
  20. foot — a measure
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. stock — goods
  23. land — to come down
  24. lash — to lash out

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