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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
468
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 · rash · temple · wave · roll · rush · bat · foot

  1. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. We're on a ________________ here.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  13. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. rash — hasty
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. rush — hurry
  5. roll — on a roll
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. bat — for baseball
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. rash — a series
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. roll — a cake
  13. roll — a list
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. foot — a measure
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. bat — in an idiom
  20. perch — the fish
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. bat — the animal
  24. temple — a place of worship

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