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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 120 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: temple · pit · wave · fork · wind · wound · object · ruler

  1. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. object — to protest
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. wind — moving air
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. fork — in a road
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. pit — a hole
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. wound — an injury
  15. object — a thing
  16. wound — an injury
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. pit — in a race
  19. wind — moving air
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. wound — past of 'wind'
  23. object — an aim
  24. wind — to turn a key

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