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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. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. bear — the animal
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. rest — what's left
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. bank — of a river
  14. bear — the animal
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. chest — a box
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. chest — of your body
  19. rest — a break
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. bank — for money
  22. bank — for money
  23. rest — what's left
  24. chest — of your body

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