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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: rest · arm · kick · perch · temple · wave · racket · hand

  1. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. rest — a break
  3. rest — what's left
  4. perch — the fish
  5. kick — in football
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. hand — help
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. rest — what's left
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. hand — part of the body
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. hand — in cards
  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