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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. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. face — to confront
  8. band — a rubber band
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. face — to point toward
  11. foot — a measure
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. band — a music group
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. band — a ring
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. face — part of the head
  23. fork — in a road
  24. bowl — a dish

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