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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
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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: row · toast · rush · last · leaves · perch · wave · bat

  1. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  4. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  8. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  11. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. False peace will not ________________.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. toast — a drink to someone
  4. bat — the animal
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. bat — for baseball
  8. toast — bread
  9. row — to paddle
  10. last — final
  11. last — finally
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. toast — the most admired
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. last — to go on
  18. perch — the fish
  19. row — a quarrel
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. bat — in an idiom
  22. rush — hurry
  23. row — a line
  24. wave — with your hand

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