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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. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. rock — a stone
  5. rock — music
  6. cue — a hint
  7. net — in sport
  8. mate — to breed
  9. mate — a partner
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. bore — to tire
  12. net — after costs
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. scale — size or range
  16. bore — to drill
  17. cue — a signal
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. mate — a friend
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. cue — for pool
  22. net — for catching
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. scale — in music

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