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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: dip · chest · wave · squash · mug · mine · temple · mark

  1. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  14. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. mine — belonging to me
  3. squash — the sport
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. chest — of your body
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. dip — to sink
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. mark — a trace
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. chest — of your body
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. mine — for digging
  14. mine — an explosive
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. mark — a grade
  18. mug — a face
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. mug — a cup
  21. chest — a box
  22. squash — to crush
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. temple — a place of worship

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