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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.

Make a worksheet

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: coach · suit · net · kick · arm · rush · lash · perch

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. rush — hurry
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. suit — clothes
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. perch — the fish
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. net — after costs
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. suit — to fit
  14. kick — in football
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. net — for catching
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. net — in sport
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. arm — part of the body

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