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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.

Make a worksheet

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: perch · bore · race · rash · lash · fan · lie · pitcher

  1. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. lie — to recline
  11. race — the arms race
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. rash — a series
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. race — a contest
  18. race — humankind
  19. bore — to drill
  20. rash — hasty
  21. perch — the fish
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. bore — to tire
  24. perch — for a bird

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