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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: perch · bore · lash · lie · calf · coach · bat · season

  1. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. Did you ________________ the meat?
  10. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — the animal
  2. bore — to drill
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. season — in sport
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. season — to add flavour
  10. bat — in an idiom
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. perch — the fish
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. season — of the year
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. bore — to tire
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. lie — to recline
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. bat — for baseball

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