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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: perch · pitcher · ground · ruler · fine · lash · pit · club

  1. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  2. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — crushed
  2. club — a group
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. fine — high quality
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. ground — the earth
  9. club — for golf
  10. ground — a position
  11. pit — in a race
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. pit — a hole
  14. fine — all right
  15. perch — the fish
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. club — for dancing
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. lash — to lash 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