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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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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 · pit · rush · trunk · kick · perch · fan · present

  1. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. rush — hurry
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. present — there
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. pit — a hole
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. present — a gift
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. perch — the fish
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. present — the time now
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. kick — in football
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. rush — to hurry

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