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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
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: temple · perch · tube · rash · rush · wind · chip · scale

  1. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  7. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — the fish
  2. scale — in music
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. wind — moving air
  5. scale — size or range
  6. wind — moving air
  7. rash — on the skin
  8. rash — hasty
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. chip — for betting
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. tube — the underground
  14. chip — to eat
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. tube — a container
  20. rush — hurry
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. rash — a series
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. wind — to turn a key

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