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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.

Make a worksheet

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 · calf · mug · rest · rush · hand · swing · chair

  1. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  15. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. rest — a break
  5. perch — the fish
  6. mug — a face
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. mug — to rob
  9. swing — to play on
  10. rest — what's left
  11. chair — a leader
  12. rush — hurry
  13. hand — help
  14. hand — part of the body
  15. chair — a professorship
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. swing — in golf
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. hand — in cards
  21. mug — a cup
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. chair — to sit on
  24. rest — what's left

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