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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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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: row · rush · chest · swing · key · trunk · perch · cue

  1. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. I felt an uncomfortable tightness 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. key — in music
  3. swing — to play on
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. swing — in golf
  7. row — a quarrel
  8. cue — a hint
  9. cue — for pool
  10. row — to paddle
  11. key — for a lock
  12. chest — of your body
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. swing — music
  15. perch — the fish
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. row — a line
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. chest — a box
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. key — the most important part
  22. cue — a signal
  23. rush — hurry
  24. chest — of your 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