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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.

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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 · wave · object · cue · temple · staff · lash · march

  1. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. object — to protest
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. cue — for pool
  5. perch — the fish
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. cue — a hint
  8. staff — employees
  9. object — an aim
  10. cue — a signal
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. march — the month
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. march — the month
  17. object — a thing
  18. march — music
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. staff — a stick
  21. staff — employees
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. temple — a place of worship

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