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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: temple · mouse · wave · deal · trunk · ruler

  1. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. deal — to handle
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. mouse — the animal

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