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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: lash · squash · chip · saw · perch · lie · scale · wind

  1. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. squash — the sport
  8. scale — size or range
  9. chip — to eat
  10. wind — moving air
  11. squash — to crush
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. scale — in music
  18. saw — the tool
  19. chip — for betting
  20. wind — moving air
  21. saw — the tool
  22. wind — to turn a key
  23. perch — the fish
  24. squash — the vegetable

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