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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: wake · lash · perch · cabinet · firm · mouse · bank · pitch

  1. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. firm — a company
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. wake — a trail
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. bank — for money
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. bank — of a river
  17. firm — decided
  18. perch — the fish
  19. firm — steady
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. bank — for money
  23. pitch — completely
  24. mouse — the animal

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