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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: court · wound · lean · perch · stick · bowl · lash · racket

  1. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  24. The ball is in your ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of a king
  2. lean — to bend
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. perch — the fish
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. wound — past of 'wind'
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. wound — an injury
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. court — of law
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. lean — thin
  23. wound — an injury
  24. court — for sport

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