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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. fork — in a road
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. ball — a great time
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. cap — a hat
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. ball — a dance
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. cap — of ice
  16. cap — a lid
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. ball — a round shape

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