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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. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. He took the fish out of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. perch — the fish
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. tube — the underground
  7. face — to point toward
  8. face — to confront
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. dip — to sink
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. net — in sport
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. net — after costs
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. tube — a container
  22. face — part of the head
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. net — for catching

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