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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: roll · temple · chest · season · wave · tube · mouse · rush

  1. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  15. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. roll — a list
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. chest — a box
  6. tube — the underground
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. chest — of your body
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. roll — a cake
  15. chest — of your body
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. tube — a container
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. season — in sport
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. season — of the year
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. rush — hurry

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