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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. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. drill — the tool
  3. drill — army training
  4. can — a tin
  5. stock — shares
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. can — a tin
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. drill — a practice
  14. clip — for paper
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. stock — goods
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. can — to be able to
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. clip — a video
  22. dip — to sink
  23. clip — to cut
  24. temple — a place of worship

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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