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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 · staff · game · lash · stand · shower · hide · content

  1. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  9. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  10. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  11. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. That was a fun ________________.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  24. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. content — happy
  6. stand — to bear
  7. perch — the fish
  8. game — wild animals
  9. shower — to wash
  10. shower — a meteor shower
  11. game — a kind of play
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. staff — employees
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. content — the amount
  17. staff — a stick
  18. staff — employees
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. game — a match
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. shower — rain
  24. content — videos and posts

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