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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
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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: date · roll · wave · present · rush · temple · fork · mug

  1. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. We're on a ________________ here.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. Have you settled on a ________________?
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  24. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. mug — a cup
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. roll — a list
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. roll — on a roll
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. fork — in a road
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. present — a gift
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. present — the time now
  16. mug — to rob
  17. roll — a cake
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. rush — hurry
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. mug — a face
  23. date — the fruit
  24. date — on the calendar

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