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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: nail · temple · hide · object · perch · spring · season · rash

  1. Don't do anything ________________.
  2. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  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. rash — hasty
  2. spring — a coil
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. spring — the season
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. season — in sport
  7. rash — a series
  8. perch — the fish
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. object — an aim
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. spring — of water
  16. object — a thing
  17. season — of the year
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. object — to protest
  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