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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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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: kick · chest · toast · wave · net · scale · craft · temple

  1. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  7. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. net — for catching
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. chest — of your body
  7. chest — a box
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. net — after costs
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. craft — boats
  13. toast — bread
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. scale — size or range
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. toast — the most admired
  18. kick — in football
  19. chest — of your body
  20. scale — in music
  21. craft — a skill
  22. net — in sport
  23. toast — a drink to someone
  24. wave — a sudden rise

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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