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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: leaves · band · lie · perch · drill · suit · pit · lash

  1. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  2. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a music group
  2. band — a ring
  3. pit — in a race
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. drill — army training
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. drill — a practice
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. pit — a hole
  12. perch — the fish
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. band — a rubber band
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. lie — to recline
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. suit — to fit
  22. suit — clothes
  23. drill — the tool
  24. suit — in cards

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