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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: jam · kick · tear · mark · spell · perch · can · temple

  1. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  11. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. spell — letters
  4. can — a tin
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. mark — a grade
  7. tear — from crying
  8. can — a tin
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. tear — from crying
  11. tear — to rip
  12. mark — a trace
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. can — to be able to
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. spell — magic
  19. kick — in football
  20. perch — the fish
  21. spell — a short time
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. kick — with a leg
  24. temple — a place of worship

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