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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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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 · pound · lie · saw · object · pitch · stick · lash

  1. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. saw — the tool
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. perch — the fish
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. pound — to hit hard
  16. pound — a weight
  17. object — an aim
  18. object — a thing
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. lie — to recline
  21. pitch — completely
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. object — to protest
  24. saw — the tool

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