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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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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: pitcher · wave · rash · wind · chip · temple · ruler · saw

  1. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  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. wave — a sudden rise
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. wind — moving air
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. rash — hasty
  13. saw — the tool
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. chip — for betting
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. rash — a series
  18. saw — the tool
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. chip — to eat
  21. wind — moving air
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. wind — to turn a key
  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