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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.

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: perch · mug · lash · tube · rest · scale · ground · mark

  1. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. There's no middle ________________.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. tube — the underground
  3. mug — a cup
  4. ground — the earth
  5. ground — a position
  6. scale — size or range
  7. scale — in music
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. mark — a grade
  12. ground — crushed
  13. mug — a face
  14. mug — to rob
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. rest — what's left
  18. mark — a trace
  19. perch — the fish
  20. rest — what's left
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. rest — a break
  23. tube — a container
  24. tube — in a tire

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