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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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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: mark · sharp · coach · bass · face · perch · temple · hand

  1. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. hand — in cards
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. perch — the fish
  5. bass — low music
  6. face — part of the head
  7. face — to point toward
  8. sharp — clever
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. mark — a grade
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. face — to confront
  17. hand — help
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. mark — a trace
  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