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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: bark · mug · squash · shower · bound · hide · wave · temple

  1. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  13. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. bark — to shout
  5. squash — the sport
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. bound — obliged
  8. mug — a face
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. squash — to crush
  11. bound — tied together
  12. shower — rain
  13. shower — a meteor shower
  14. mug — a cup
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. shower — to wash
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. mug — to rob
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. bound — certain

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