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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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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 · hide · perch · last · toast · bowl · wake · pitch

  1. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  17. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  18. False peace will not ________________.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. perch — the fish
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. pitch — completely
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. last — final
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. last — finally
  17. toast — the most admired
  18. last — to go on
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. toast — bread
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. toast — a drink to someone
  24. wake — a trail

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