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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: mate · bore · current · temple · wave · dip · roll · wind

  1. Have you found your soul ________________?
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  5. We're on a ________________ here.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  16. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a partner
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. roll — a cake
  5. roll — on a roll
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. roll — a list
  8. current — of water
  9. dip — to sink
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. current — electric
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. bore — to tire
  14. mate — a friend
  15. wind — moving air
  16. wind — moving air
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. current — happening now
  20. mate — to breed
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. bore — to drill
  23. wind — to turn a key
  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