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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. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. hand — in cards
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. rock — music
  7. plane — a tool
  8. mate — a friend
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. rock — a stone
  11. hand — part of the body
  12. mark — a trace
  13. mate — to breed
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. mark — a grade
  17. mate — a partner
  18. firm — a company
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. hand — help
  23. firm — steady
  24. firm — decided

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