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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: key · rule · perch · temple · lean · wave · rash · degree

  1. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. lean — thin
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. key — for a lock
  5. rule — a law
  6. degree — temperature
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. rule — government
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. key — in music
  14. lean — to bend
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. degree — from a university
  17. perch — the fish
  18. rash — hasty
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. rash — a series
  21. key — the most important part
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. degree — an amount
  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