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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: lash · file · perch · hand · season · pitcher · bowl · fine

  1. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  4. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  5. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. Did you ________________ the meat?
  10. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. perch — the fish
  3. hand — help
  4. hand — part of the body
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. fine — high quality
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. season — to add flavour
  10. file — a document
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. file — a tool
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. season — in sport
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. file — a line of people
  22. fine — all right
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. season — of the year

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