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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.

Make a worksheet

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
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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: object · temple · mouse · wax · mine · kick · dip · rule

  1. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. wax — to grow
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. object — a thing
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. mine — an explosive
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. rule — a law
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. kick — in football
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. object — to protest
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. mine — for digging
  18. rule — government
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. object — an aim
  23. mine — belonging to me
  24. dip — to sink

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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