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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: tube · lash · game · net · perch · scale · bore · bay

  1. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. That was a fun ________________.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. scale — in music
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. game — a kind of play
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. bore — to drill
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. net — after costs
  14. game — a match
  15. bore — to tire
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. tube — the underground
  18. net — for catching
  19. tube — a container
  20. game — wild animals
  21. perch — the fish
  22. scale — size or range
  23. net — in sport
  24. perch — for a bird

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