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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: perch · band · row · track · lie · stand · lash · mark

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  14. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  15. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. track — a song
  5. stand — to bear
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. row — a line
  10. band — a rubber band
  11. track — a path
  12. mark — a trace
  13. band — a music group
  14. row — a quarrel
  15. band — a ring
  16. mark — a grade
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. track — to keep track
  20. perch — the fish
  21. lie — to recline
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. row — to paddle
  24. stand — on your feet

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