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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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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. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  22. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. hand — part of the body
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. lie — to recline
  10. swing — to play on
  11. dip — to sink
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. rush — hurry
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. bulb — for light
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. perch — the fish
  21. hand — in cards
  22. swing — in golf
  23. hand — help
  24. bulb — for light

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