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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: object · perch · cap · temple · coach · stand · swing · dip

  1. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. perch — the fish
  7. swing — music
  8. object — to protest
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. cap — a lid
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. swing — in golf
  13. object — an aim
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. cap — of ice
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. stand — to bear
  19. object — a thing
  20. swing — to play on
  21. cap — a hat
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. dip — to sink

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