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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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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: stem · field · fine · perch · rash · rush · bay · lie

  1. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  4. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. lie — to recline
  3. field — farmland
  4. stem — a stem cell
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. rash — on the skin
  8. stem — to come from
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. fine — high quality
  11. perch — the fish
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. field — for sport
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. fine — all right
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. rash — hasty
  19. field — a subject
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. rush — hurry
  22. rash — a series
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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