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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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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: pitcher · suit · kick · snap · march · nail · perch · temple

  1. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  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. suit — clothes
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. march — the month
  5. perch — the fish
  6. march — music
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. snap — to click
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. kick — in football
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. march — the month
  13. suit — to fit
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. suit — in cards
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. perch — for a bird
  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