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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: safe · spring · shower · scale · lash · perch · bass · face

  1. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  15. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. shower — rain
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. perch — the fish
  5. scale — size or range
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. face — to point toward
  11. spring — the season
  12. scale — in music
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. spring — a coil
  15. shower — to wash
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. face — part of the head
  21. bass — low music
  22. shower — a meteor shower
  23. face — to confront
  24. spring — of water

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