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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
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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: mark · hide · branch · mate · temple · wave · land · bowl

  1. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. When are we going to ________________?
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a friend
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. mate — a partner
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. land — to come down
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. branch — a division
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. mark — a trace
  15. mate — to breed
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. mark — a grade
  18. land — a country
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. land — ground
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. wave — with your hand

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