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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. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. rule — a law
  3. game — a match
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. mug — a face
  9. sharp — clever
  10. bass — the fish
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. bass — low music
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. game — wild animals
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. mug — a cup
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. rule — government
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. mug — to rob

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