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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.

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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: bat · wave · swing · charge · deal · bore · pound · temple

  1. When was this ________________ built?
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. bat — in an idiom
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. deal — to handle
  9. bore — to tire
  10. swing — music
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. bore — to drill
  13. charge — electricity
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. charge — a price
  16. charge — in control
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. bat — the animal
  19. pound — a weight
  20. bat — for baseball
  21. swing — in golf
  22. swing — to play on
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. bore — gave birth

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