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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: capital · racket · saw · lash · present · perch · chair · rock

  1. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  7. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. chair — a professorship
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. saw — the tool
  6. capital — money
  7. capital — a big letter
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. capital — a city
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. present — there
  15. present — the time now
  16. present — a gift
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. chair — a leader
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. perch — the fish
  21. rock — music
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. chair — to sit on
  24. saw — the tool

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