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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: cabinet · lash · lean · rest · perch · key · ball · squash

  1. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. lean — thin
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. key — for a lock
  9. rest — a break
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. ball — a dance
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. key — in music
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. perch — the fish
  17. squash — the sport
  18. lean — to bend
  19. ball — a great time
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. key — the most important part
  22. rest — what's left
  23. rest — what's left
  24. cabinet — ministers

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