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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 120 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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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: bear · racket · tube · wave · nail · temple · wind · snap

  1. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  21. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. snap — to click
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. snap — to speak sharply
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. wind — to turn a key
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. bear — the animal
  14. tube — a container
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. wind — moving air
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. wind — moving air
  21. snap — to snap out of it
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. tube — the underground

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