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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 · racket · game · scale · firm · lash · temple · date

  1. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. Have you settled on a ________________?
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. date — the fruit
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. perch — the fish
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. game — wild animals
  18. game — a match
  19. scale — in music
  20. scale — size or range
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. firm — decided
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. firm — a company

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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