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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 hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  22. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. wind — moving air
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. bore — to tire
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. bore — to drill
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. wind — to turn a key
  22. wind — moving air
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. bore — gave birth

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