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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 120 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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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 · bowl · craft · swing · wave · temple · press · mate

  1. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. press — to push
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. swing — music
  5. perch — the fish
  6. craft — a skill
  7. mate — a friend
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. craft — boats
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. swing — to play on
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. press — newspapers
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. mate — to breed
  17. mate — a partner
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. swing — in golf
  20. press — a publisher
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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