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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
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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: prune · last · perch · rock · rush · kick · dip · mate

  1. That must've been a ________________.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. False peace will not ________________.
  24. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. perch — the fish
  4. prune — to trim
  5. rock — music
  6. last — final
  7. rush — hurry
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. mate — a friend
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. rock — a stone
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. dip — to sink
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. mate — a partner
  18. kick — in football
  19. last — finally
  20. mate — to breed
  21. prune — to trim
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. last — to go on
  24. prune — the fruit

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