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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. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  17. The water is too ________________.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. present — a gift
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. present — the time now
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. mate — a friend
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. wax — to grow
  11. mate — to breed
  12. cold — an illness
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. present — there
  15. mate — a partner
  16. cold — the Cold War
  17. cold — not warm
  18. lie — to recline
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. temple — a place of worship

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