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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: club · rash · bay · wave · perch · staff · suit · shower

  1. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  7. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. staff — employees
  3. rash — a series
  4. shower — to wash
  5. club — a group
  6. shower — rain
  7. club — for golf
  8. suit — clothes
  9. staff — a stick
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. suit — in cards
  12. club — for dancing
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. perch — the fish
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. shower — a meteor shower
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. rash — hasty
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. staff — employees
  23. suit — to fit
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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