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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.

Make a worksheet

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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. pop — music
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. season — in sport
  9. pop — to visit
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. cap — a lid
  12. cap — a hat
  13. season — of the year
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. cap — of ice
  17. pop — soda
  18. dip — to sink
  19. bass — the fish
  20. perch — the fish
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. bass — low music
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. sharp — clever

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