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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: trunk · cap · mouse · dip · ground · temple · perch · nail

  1. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. perch — the fish
  3. ground — crushed
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. cap — a hat
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. ground — a position
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. cap — of ice
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. ground — the earth
  21. dip — to sink
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. cap — a lid
  24. mouse — for a computer

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