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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: kick · bay · temple · rock · mouse · deal · rush · bowl

  1. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. deal — to handle
  5. rush — hurry
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. rock — a stone
  9. kick — in football
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. rock — music
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. deal — a big deal
  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