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

  1. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  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. wave — of the sea
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. bank — for money
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. net — in sport
  8. net — after costs
  9. bore — to drill
  10. net — for catching
  11. band — a music group
  12. bore — to tire
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. cue — a hint
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. cue — a signal
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. bank — for money
  21. bank — of a river
  22. band — a ring
  23. cue — for pool
  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