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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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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: lash · suit · pop · race · row · pit · perch · bound

  1. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. row — a line
  3. perch — the fish
  4. pit — in a race
  5. race — the arms race
  6. pop — music
  7. race — a contest
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. bound — tied together
  11. pit — a hole
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. row — to paddle
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. bound — certain
  16. race — humankind
  17. suit — to fit
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. suit — in cards
  20. pop — to visit
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. pop — soda
  23. bound — obliged
  24. suit — clothes

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