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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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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: rest · fall · perch · chest · rock · dip · stand · wave

  1. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  3. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  4. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. chest — a box
  3. fall — to drop
  4. chest — of your body
  5. rest — what's left
  6. perch — the fish
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. stand — to bear
  9. rock — music
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. rock — a stone
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. rest — a break
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. fall — to drop
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. chest — of your body
  22. rest — what's left
  23. fall — the season
  24. dip — to sink

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