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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.

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: mouse · perch · coach · spell · present · degree · lash · lie

  1. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  13. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. lie — to recline
  4. perch — the fish
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. spell — a short time
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. present — the time now
  11. present — there
  12. degree — temperature
  13. degree — an amount
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. degree — from a university
  16. present — a gift
  17. spell — magic
  18. spell — letters
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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