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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: lash · rock · stand · nail · hide · season · perch · chest

  1. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. rock — music
  4. perch — the fish
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. stand — to bear
  7. rock — a stone
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. chest — of your body
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. season — of the year
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. chest — of your body
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. chest — a box
  24. season — in sport

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