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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: ball · dip · temple · wind · content · charge · bear · wave

  1. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  7. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. charge — a price
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. wind — moving air
  7. wind — to turn a key
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. content — the amount
  10. ball — a great time
  11. ball — a dance
  12. content — videos and posts
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. bear — the animal
  15. bear — the animal
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. dip — to sink
  18. charge — electricity
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. content — happy
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. charge — in control
  24. ball — a round shape

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