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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 116 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: fall · saw · wave · object · perch · rash · trunk · firm

  1. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. firm — steady
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. firm — decided
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. rash — hasty
  7. saw — the tool
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. fall — the season
  10. saw — the tool
  11. perch — the fish
  12. object — to protest
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. rash — a series
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. fall — to drop
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. fall — to drop
  21. firm — a company
  22. object — a thing
  23. object — an aim
  24. trunk — of a car

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