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

  1. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  23. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. perch — the fish
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. hand — in cards
  14. fork — in a road
  15. pound — a weight
  16. press — a publisher
  17. press — to push
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. hand — help
  22. press — newspapers
  23. hand — part of the body
  24. perch — for a bird

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