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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: sharp · lash · fine · perch · bulb · saw · capital · lie

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. bulb — for light
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. bulb — for light
  9. saw — the tool
  10. lie — to recline
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. saw — the tool
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. capital — a big letter
  15. sharp — clever
  16. capital — money
  17. perch — the fish
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. capital — a city
  21. fine — all right
  22. fine — high quality
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  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