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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
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: mouse · temple · coach · bore · wave · land · jam · content

  1. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. When are we going to ________________?
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  23. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  24. Check the label for the sugar ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. content — happy
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. land — ground
  12. land — to come down
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. land — a country
  19. bore — to drill
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. content — videos and posts
  23. jam — in traffic
  24. content — the amount

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