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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: dip · perch · lash · pitch · patient · racket · rule · bank

  1. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. perch — the fish
  4. rule — a law
  5. bank — for money
  6. rule — government
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. bank — for money
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. pitch — completely
  13. bank — of a river
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. rule — to rule out

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