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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: perch · track · temple · spring · pound · dip · jam · snap

  1. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. pound — a weight
  3. spring — of water
  4. track — a path
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. dip — to sink
  8. perch — the fish
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. track — a song
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. spring — a coil
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. snap — to click
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. track — to keep track
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. spring — the season
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. temple — a place of worship
  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