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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. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  3. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. row — a quarrel
  3. row — a line
  4. can — to be able to
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. row — to paddle
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. can — a tin
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. can — a tin
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. kick — in football
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. wave — of the sea

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