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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 116 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 · sharp · perch · nail · tear · bat · mark · pass

  1. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  3. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  10. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  11. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  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. sharp — clever
  2. tear — from crying
  3. bat — for baseball
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. mark — a grade
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. bat — in an idiom
  10. bat — the animal
  11. tear — from crying
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. mark — a trace
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. pass — a permit
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. perch — the fish
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. tear — to rip
  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