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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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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 · rock · coach · branch · foot · rest · temple · lash

  1. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. rest — what's left
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. rock — a stone
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. branch — a division
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. perch — the fish
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. rock — music
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. rest — a break
  23. rest — what's left
  24. perch — for a bird

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