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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. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. staff — employees
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. wake — a trail
  6. march — music
  7. staff — a stick
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. march — the month
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. mark — a trace
  19. mark — a grade
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. staff — employees
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. march — the month
  24. mark — to pay attention

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