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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: wave · temple · rock · straw · rash · jam · mug · wound

  1. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. rock — music
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. mug — a cup
  7. mug — a face
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. wound — an injury
  10. rash — a series
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. mug — to rob
  15. wound — past of 'wind'
  16. rash — hasty
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. straw — a straw man
  19. rock — a stone
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. wound — an injury
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. jam — in traffic
  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