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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: wave · can · pop · kick · lie · root · temple · squash

  1. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. root — of a word
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. squash — the sport
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. can — a tin
  8. squash — to crush
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. root — the cause
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. can — to be able to
  14. root — of a plant
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. pop — soda
  17. pop — to visit
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. kick — in football
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. lie — to recline
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. pop — music
  24. wave — with your hand

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