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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. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  2. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. He was locked up in a ________________.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — a phone
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. bank — for money
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. bound — obliged
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. can — a tin
  11. bound — certain
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. cell — in biology
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. can — a tin
  16. rest — what's left
  17. bank — of a river
  18. rest — a break
  19. can — to be able to
  20. bank — for money
  21. bound — tied together
  22. sharp — clever
  23. cell — in a prison
  24. rest — what's left

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