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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. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. rush — hurry
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. can — to be able to
  12. bear — the animal
  13. lean — to bend
  14. bore — to drill
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. can — a tin
  17. can — a tin
  18. bear — the animal
  19. perch — the fish
  20. bore — to tire
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. lean — thin
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. perch — for a bird

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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