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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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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: mug · hide · lean · stick · wave · temple · row · pound

  1. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. row — to paddle
  4. row — a line
  5. mug — a cup
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. lean — thin
  14. pound — a weight
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. lean — to bend
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. row — a quarrel
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. mug — to rob
  24. mug — a face

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