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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 120 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: temple · fan · rush · coach · arm · board · perch · squash

  1. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  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. board — a committee
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. perch — the fish
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. rush — hurry
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. squash — to crush
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. board — to get on
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. squash — the sport
  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