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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.

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: temple · mug · wave · game · deal · leaves · mate · lie

  1. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. That was a fun ________________.
  11. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. lie — to recline
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. mug — a cup
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. mate — a partner
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. game — wild animals
  9. deal — to handle
  10. game — a match
  11. game — a kind of play
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. mate — to breed
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. mate — a friend
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. mug — to rob
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. mug — a face

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