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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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  4. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  16. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. chest — a box
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. ball — a dance
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. chest — of your body
  16. chest — of your body
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. perch — the fish
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. ball — a great time
  24. safe — out of danger

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