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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: temple · spell · mark · mouse · swing · pitcher · hand · cap

  1. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. mark — a grade
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. cap — a lid
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. mark — a trace
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. hand — in cards
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. cap — of ice
  11. swing — in golf
  12. cap — a hat
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. spell — a short time
  16. swing — to play on
  17. spell — magic
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. spell — letters
  20. swing — music
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. hand — help
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. mouse — the animal

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