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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: swing · plane · pop · trunk · perch · spell · foot · temple

  1. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  24. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. pop — music
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. plane — a tool
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. spell — a short time
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. swing — in golf
  9. perch — the fish
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. spell — letters
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. spell — magic
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. pop — to visit
  19. pop — soda
  20. swing — to play on
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. swing — music
  24. trunk — of a tree

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