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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.

Make a worksheet

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: hide · pass · band · temple · ball · wave · mine · spring

  1. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  2. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  18. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  24. He was blown up by a land ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. spring — of water
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. spring — the season
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. band — a ring
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. ball — a dance
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. ball — a great time
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. mine — belonging to me
  18. band — a music group
  19. pass — a permit
  20. spring — a coil
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. mine — for digging
  24. mine — an explosive

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