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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: firm · straw · current · safe · bark · pitch · lash · perch

  1. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. current — electric
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. firm — steady
  9. straw — dry grass
  10. firm — decided
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. pitch — completely
  13. bark — a dog's sound
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. bark — to shout
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. firm — a company
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. straw — to clutch at straws
  22. current — happening now
  23. perch — the fish
  24. current — of water

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