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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. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. club — for golf
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. club — a group
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. club — for dancing
  11. squash — the sport
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. pop — music
  14. pop — soda
  15. squash — to crush
  16. pop — to visit
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. bark — to shout
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. fine — high quality
  23. fine — all right
  24. bark — of a tree

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