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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 spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  9. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  16. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  17. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. wake — a trail
  6. file — a document
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. march — the month
  9. march — the month
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. mate — to breed
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. file — a tool
  16. file — a line of people
  17. march — music
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. mate — a friend
  23. mate — a partner
  24. mouse — for a computer

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