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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: spell · straw · stand · lash · racket · suit · rock · perch

  1. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  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. perch — the fish
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. stand — to bear
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. straw — a straw man
  8. suit — to fit
  9. spell — magic
  10. spell — a short time
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. suit — clothes
  13. spell — letters
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. rock — music
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. rock — a stone
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. suit — in cards
  23. perch — for a bird
  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