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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: ground · saw · trunk · cabinet · rash · lash · wound · perch

  1. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  14. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. ground — crushed
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. saw — the tool
  7. ground — the earth
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. saw — the tool
  10. ground — a position
  11. perch — the fish
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. wound — an injury
  14. wound — an injury
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. wound — past of 'wind'
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. rash — hasty
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. cabinet — ministers

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