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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: can · leaves · wave · mouse · rush · roll · temple · bore

  1. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. We're on a ________________ here.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  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 — of the sea
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. can — to be able to
  5. roll — a cake
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. roll — a list
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. bore — to drill
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. can — a tin
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. bore — to tire
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. roll — on a roll
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. can — a tin
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. rush — hurry
  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