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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: arm · perch · bound · lash · file · net · root · rash

  1. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. net — for catching
  3. root — of a plant
  4. bound — obliged
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. file — a document
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. root — the cause
  10. file — a line of people
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. bound — certain
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. file — a tool
  16. root — of a word
  17. bound — tied together
  18. net — after costs
  19. rash — a series
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. perch — the fish
  22. rash — hasty
  23. net — in sport
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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