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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.

Make a worksheet

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
468
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: object · mate · season · wave · mine · temple · swing · nail

  1. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  3. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  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 — to breed
  2. mine — belonging to me
  3. mine — for digging
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. mate — a partner
  7. mine — an explosive
  8. season — in sport
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. mate — a friend
  11. swing — in golf
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. season — of the year
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. object — an aim
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. object — to protest
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. swing — to play on
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. object — a thing
  23. swing — music
  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