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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 lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. When are we going to ________________?
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  9. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  10. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  21. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  22. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. toast — the most admired
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. land — to come down
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. toast — a drink to someone
  9. land — a country
  10. land — ground
  11. cap — of ice
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. drill — army training
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. cap — a lid
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. toast — bread
  21. drill — the tool
  22. drill — a practice
  23. cap — a hat
  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