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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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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: pop · swing · toast · temple · wave · bore · content · roll

  1. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. We're on a ________________ here.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. Check the label for the sugar ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. content — happy
  3. pop — to visit
  4. toast — the most admired
  5. pop — soda
  6. toast — a drink to someone
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. roll — a list
  9. pop — music
  10. bore — to tire
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. content — videos and posts
  13. bore — to drill
  14. roll — on a roll
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. roll — a cake
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. toast — bread
  21. swing — to play on
  22. swing — music
  23. swing — in golf
  24. content — the amount

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