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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. When was this ________________ built?
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. When are we going to ________________?
  24. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. object — a thing
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. cue — a hint
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. object — to protest
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. cue — a signal
  12. cue — for pool
  13. object — an aim
  14. rest — what's left
  15. foot — a measure
  16. rest — what's left
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. rest — a break
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. land — a country
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. land — to come down
  24. land — ground

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