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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  2. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  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. chest — of your body
  2. chest — a box
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. chest — of your body
  5. pound — a weight
  6. swing — in golf
  7. bulb — for light
  8. content — the amount
  9. swing — to play on
  10. bulb — for light
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. content — happy
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. content — videos and posts
  15. swing — music
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. board — to get on
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. board — a committee
  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