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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 120 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: perch · prune · lash · deal · saw · calf · dip · wake

  1. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. saw — the tool
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. wake — a trail
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. dip — to sink
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. saw — the tool
  16. perch — the fish
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. deal — to handle
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. prune — to trim
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. perch — for a bird

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