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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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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: kick · perch · lash · bear · roll · deal · swing · pound

  1. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. We're on a ________________ here.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. roll — a list
  6. bear — the animal
  7. pound — a weight
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. roll — on a roll
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. perch — the fish
  14. roll — a cake
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. kick — in football
  17. swing — music
  18. pound — for dogs
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. swing — to play on
  21. deal — to handle
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. swing — in golf
  24. bear — the animal

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