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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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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: mate · lash · club · firm · dip · bound · perch · row

  1. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  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. row — a line
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. bound — tied together
  5. club — a group
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. club — for golf
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. mate — a partner
  10. row — a quarrel
  11. bound — certain
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. firm — a company
  14. firm — decided
  15. dip — to sink
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. firm — steady
  18. perch — the fish
  19. club — for dancing
  20. bound — obliged
  21. row — to paddle
  22. mate — a friend
  23. dip — a sauce
  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