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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.

Make a worksheet

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: roll · march · scale · bark · perch · rush · lash · rest

  1. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  13. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. We're on a ________________ here.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — hurry
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. march — the month
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. bark — a dog's sound
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. roll — a list
  9. scale — size or range
  10. roll — a cake
  11. scale — in music
  12. bark — to shout
  13. march — the month
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. perch — the fish
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. march — music
  18. rest — what's left
  19. rest — a break
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. roll — on a roll
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. rest — what's left

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