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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.

Make a worksheet

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 · land · board · lash · stand · bark · pitcher · cue

  1. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. bark — a dog's sound
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. land — ground
  5. cue — a hint
  6. board — to get on
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. land — to come down
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. bark — to shout
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. land — a country
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. cue — for pool
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. board — a committee
  22. stand — to bear
  23. perch — the fish
  24. cue — a signal

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