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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
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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: temple · arm · perch · rush · rash · date · squash · coach

  1. My father caught me by the ________________.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. Have you settled on a ________________?
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. rush — hurry
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. squash — to crush
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. squash — the sport
  14. date — the fruit
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. rash — a series
  17. perch — the fish
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. rash — hasty
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. squash — the vegetable
  24. arm — part of the body

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