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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: field · mouse · lash · perch · dip · wind · plane · pop

  1. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  16. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. plane — a tool
  3. dip — to sink
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. wind — to turn a key
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. perch — the fish
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. pop — music
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. field — a subject
  16. field — farmland
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. field — for sport
  20. pop — to visit
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. pop — soda
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. wind — moving air

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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