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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.

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: can · wake · temple · content · bear · pass · chest · rush

  1. When was this ________________ built?
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  24. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. content — happy
  4. wake — a trail
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. chest — of your body
  8. bear — the animal
  9. content — the amount
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. can — to be able to
  12. bear — the animal
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. can — a tin
  16. pass — a permit
  17. can — a tin
  18. content — videos and posts
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. rush — hurry
  23. chest — of your body
  24. chest — a box

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