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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: tube · nail · temple · dip · wake · hide · ground · suit

  1. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. There's no middle ________________.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. tube — the underground
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. wake — a trail
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. tube — a container
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. ground — a position
  16. suit — clothes
  17. ground — crushed
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. suit — to fit
  20. dip — to sink
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. suit — in cards
  24. ground — the earth

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