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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. When was this ________________ built?
  2. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. club — for golf
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. march — music
  5. bass — low music
  6. club — for dancing
  7. bass — the fish
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. club — a group
  12. present — the time now
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. mark — a grade
  17. perch — the fish
  18. mark — a trace
  19. march — the month
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. present — a gift
  23. march — the month
  24. present — there

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