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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: perch · bowl · cap · swing · trunk · band · fork · temple

  1. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. swing — in golf
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. cap — a lid
  12. perch — the fish
  13. swing — to play on
  14. cap — of ice
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. band — a ring
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. band — a music group
  20. fork — in a road
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. cap — a hat
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. perch — for a bird

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