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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 · chest · cue · arm · temple · dip · pop · march

  1. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. dip — to sink
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. march — the month
  7. pop — music
  8. pop — to visit
  9. chest — of your body
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. march — music
  12. pop — soda
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. perch — the fish
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. cue — for pool
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. chest — a box
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. cue — a hint
  23. cue — a signal
  24. chest — of your body

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