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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: snap · perch · patient · lash · pop · roll · spell · track

  1. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. perch — the fish
  3. roll — on a roll
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. snap — to click
  6. track — to keep track
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. track — a path
  11. roll — a cake
  12. spell — magic
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. pop — music
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. track — a song
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. roll — a list
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. pop — to visit
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. spell — letters
  24. pop — soda

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