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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: foot · prune · board · rest · rock · march · perch · rush

  1. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. prune — to trim
  3. rest — what's left
  4. rush — hurry
  5. prune — to trim
  6. perch — the fish
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. march — music
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. rock — music
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. march — the month
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. rest — what's left
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. march — the month
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. board — to get on
  19. foot — a measure
  20. rock — a stone
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. board — a committee
  24. rest — a break

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