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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.

Make a worksheet

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: temple · pop · march · game · perch · nail · wave · straw

  1. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  2. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  3. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  18. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  19. That was a fun ________________.
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a kind of play
  2. march — music
  3. game — wild animals
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. perch — the fish
  6. pop — to visit
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. pop — soda
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. march — the month
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. march — the month
  18. straw — to clutch at straws
  19. game — a match
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. pop — music
  22. straw — dry grass
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. temple — side of the head

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