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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. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. The water is too ________________.
  9. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  10. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. mug — a cup
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. track — a path
  8. cold — not warm
  9. cold — an illness
  10. cold — the Cold War
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. rock — a stone
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. track — to keep track
  17. mug — to rob
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. foot — a measure
  21. track — a song
  22. mug — a face
  23. rock — music
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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