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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: perch · bear · fall · lash · toast · bay · wound · current

  1. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  3. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  17. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. fall — to drop
  3. fall — to drop
  4. bear — the animal
  5. current — of water
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. toast — bread
  9. current — electric
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. wound — an injury
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. fall — the season
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. wound — an injury
  17. toast — the most admired
  18. bear — the animal
  19. wound — past of 'wind'
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. perch — the fish
  22. toast — a drink to someone
  23. current — happening now
  24. bay — a horse colour

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