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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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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. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  11. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. mug — a face
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. mug — a cup
  7. pitch — completely
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. mine — for digging
  11. hand — part of the body
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. hand — help
  14. mug — to rob
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. mine — an explosive
  18. scale — size or range
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. scale — in music
  21. mine — belonging to me
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. temple — a place of worship

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