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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 · net · spring · present · race · perch · lie · bore

  1. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  23. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. race — a contest
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. present — a gift
  5. lie — to recline
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. present — the time now
  8. perch — the fish
  9. spring — of water
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. net — in sport
  12. spring — a coil
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. present — there
  15. race — the arms race
  16. bore — to drill
  17. net — after costs
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. bore — to tire
  20. net — for catching
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. spring — the season
  23. race — humankind
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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