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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: perch · lash · mouse · march · land · mate · rush · bore

  1. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  2. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. When are we going to ________________?
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. land — ground
  2. march — the month
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. mate — a friend
  6. rush — hurry
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. mate — a partner
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. march — music
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. bore — to drill
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. land — to come down
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. march — the month
  20. bore — to tire
  21. perch — the fish
  22. land — a country
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. mate — to breed

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