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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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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: saw · lash · press · perch · rash · bat · ball · bore

  1. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. bat — the animal
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. bore — to tire
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. bat — for baseball
  7. rash — hasty
  8. ball — a great time
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. bore — to drill
  11. press — newspapers
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. saw — the tool
  14. perch — the fish
  15. saw — the tool
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. press — a publisher
  18. ball — a dance
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. rash — a series
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. bat — in an idiom
  24. press — to push

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