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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. He was locked up in a ________________.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. cell — in biology
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. cell — a phone
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. cue — a hint
  12. dip — to sink
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. bear — the animal
  16. pass — a permit
  17. cell — in a prison
  18. bear — the animal
  19. cue — a signal
  20. cue — for pool
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. foot — a measure
  23. pass — to spend time
  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