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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: wave · temple · drill · club · lie · roll · snap · bowl

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  23. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. roll — on a roll
  4. lie — to recline
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. club — for golf
  8. snap — to click
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. club — a group
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. roll — a list
  13. drill — the tool
  14. club — for dancing
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. drill — a practice
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. drill — army training
  23. roll — a cake
  24. bowl — to roll

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