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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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Word bank
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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: drill · temple · rest · foot · mate · wave · bulb · rash

  1. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. drill — army training
  5. drill — the tool
  6. mate — a friend
  7. rest — a break
  8. rash — hasty
  9. drill — a practice
  10. foot — a measure
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. bulb — for light
  15. rash — a series
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. mate — a partner
  19. mate — to breed
  20. rest — what's left
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. bulb — for light
  24. rash — on the skin

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