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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: bay · rash · rush · leaves · root · bass · present · perch

  1. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. perch — the fish
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. present — a gift
  7. present — there
  8. rash — hasty
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. rush — hurry
  13. present — the time now
  14. root — of a word
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. root — of a plant
  20. root — the cause
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. bass — the fish
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. bass — low music

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