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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 120 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. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  23. Did you ________________ the meat?
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. tear — to rip
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. chip — for betting
  6. tear — from crying
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. ball — a great time
  10. ball — a dance
  11. chip — to eat
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. tear — from crying
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. season — in sport
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. stand — to bear
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. season — of the year
  23. season — to add flavour
  24. calf — a young animal

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