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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: root · tube · clip · temple · wave · suit · mark · bowl

  1. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  11. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. mark — a grade
  3. root — of a plant
  4. mark — a trace
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. root — the cause
  9. tube — the underground
  10. clip — a video
  11. clip — for paper
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. clip — to cut
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. suit — clothes
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. suit — to fit
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. tube — a container
  23. suit — in cards
  24. root — of a word

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