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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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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: hand · content · wave · temple · plane · pop · shower · cue

  1. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  4. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  13. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  14. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. shower — a meteor shower
  4. content — videos and posts
  5. pop — to visit
  6. hand — in cards
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. cue — a hint
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. hand — part of the body
  13. shower — rain
  14. content — the amount
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. cue — for pool
  17. pop — soda
  18. plane — a tool
  19. shower — to wash
  20. cue — a signal
  21. pop — music
  22. content — happy
  23. hand — help
  24. plane — in geometry

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