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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: wave · season · key · drill · rash · staff · rush · perch

  1. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. staff — employees
  3. rush — hurry
  4. season — of the year
  5. key — the most important part
  6. staff — a stick
  7. key — for a lock
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. staff — employees
  10. drill — a practice
  11. perch — the fish
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. rash — a series
  14. season — in sport
  15. drill — the tool
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. key — in music
  20. rash — hasty
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. rash — on the skin
  24. drill — army training

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