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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. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  19. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. chest — of your body
  2. row — to paddle
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. lie — to recline
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. wax — to grow
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. row — a line
  18. chest — a box
  19. chest — of your body
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. sharp — clever

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