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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. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. stand — to bear
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. file — a tool
  9. deal — to handle
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. file — a document
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. file — a line of people
  18. bulb — for light
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. dip — to sink
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. bulb — for light
  24. deal — a big deal

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