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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: bass · trunk · rest · rash · foot · wave · perch · rule

  1. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  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. rest — a break
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. rest — what's left
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. perch — the fish
  9. rash — hasty
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. rule — government
  13. bass — low music
  14. rash — a series
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. foot — a measure
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. rest — what's left
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. bass — the fish
  23. rule — a law
  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