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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.

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: cap · mug · current · wave · staff · clip · temple · bowl

  1. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. staff — a stick
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. mug — a cup
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. mug — to rob
  9. staff — employees
  10. clip — for paper
  11. current — happening now
  12. cap — of ice
  13. mug — a face
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. current — of water
  16. clip — a video
  17. cap — a hat
  18. clip — to cut
  19. staff — employees
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. current — electric
  24. cap — a lid

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