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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.

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: can · scale · rush · lash · track · land · perch · hand

  1. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  4. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. When are we going to ________________?
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — help
  2. track — to keep track
  3. hand — in cards
  4. land — ground
  5. can — a tin
  6. can — to be able to
  7. land — a country
  8. track — a path
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. rush — hurry
  11. perch — the fish
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. track — a song
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. hand — part of the body
  18. can — a tin
  19. scale — size or range
  20. land — to come down
  21. scale — in music
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. rush — to hurry

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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