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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: lash · bay · bore · season · racket · lie · rush · perch

  1. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. bore — to drill
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. season — in sport
  11. perch — the fish
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. season — of the year
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. lie — to recline
  16. rush — hurry
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. bore — to tire

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