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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: lash · foot · racket · cold · wave · perch · pit · board

  1. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. The water is too ________________.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cold — an illness
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. cold — the Cold War
  5. board — a committee
  6. pit — a hole
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. board — to get on
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. cold — not warm
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. pit — in a race
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. perch — the fish
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. foot — a measure
  24. racket — a loud noise

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