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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 · mate · land · game · foot · wave · key · bore

  1. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. That was a fun ________________.
  11. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. game — wild animals
  3. land — a country
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. bore — to drill
  7. key — the most important part
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. land — to come down
  10. game — a match
  11. game — a kind of play
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. foot — a measure
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. mate — to breed
  16. land — ground
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. bore — to tire
  19. mate — a partner
  20. key — in music
  21. key — for a lock
  22. mate — a friend
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. temple — a place of worship

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