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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: foot · deal · hand · season · object · perch · lash · track

  1. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. object — an aim
  3. foot — a measure
  4. season — in sport
  5. track — a path
  6. hand — part of the body
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. object — a thing
  10. perch — the fish
  11. hand — in cards
  12. track — a song
  13. object — to protest
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. hand — help
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. deal — to handle
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. season — of the year
  23. track — to keep track
  24. lash — an eyelash

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