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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 120 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: rash · foot · lean · perch · temple · present · trunk · lash

  1. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. present — the time now
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. rash — a series
  9. perch — the fish
  10. present — a gift
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. lean — to bend
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. present — there
  21. rash — hasty
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. foot — a measure

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