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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: perch · rule · wave · rock · cabinet · key · foot · object

  1. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. perch — the fish
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. object — to protest
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. rock — music
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. rule — a law
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. foot — a measure
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. object — a thing
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. key — for a lock
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. key — in music
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. object — an aim
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. rule — government
  23. rock — a stone
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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