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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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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: toast · lean · wind · wave · temple · rule · perch · chip

  1. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. chip — to eat
  3. wind — to turn a key
  4. perch — the fish
  5. toast — a drink to someone
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. wind — moving air
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. toast — the most admired
  10. rule — a law
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. lean — to bend
  15. toast — bread
  16. lean — thin
  17. chip — for betting
  18. wind — moving air
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. rule — government
  23. rule — to rule out
  24. wave — of the sea

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