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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 120 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: mouse · hide · fork · rash · temple · wave · club · pass

  1. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. club — for dancing
  6. pass — a permit
  7. rash — a series
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. rash — hasty
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. club — a group
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. fork — in a road
  18. club — for golf
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. pass — to spend time

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