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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.

Make a worksheet

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. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. staff — employees
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. season — of the year
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. rash — a series
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. object — to protest
  11. staff — a stick
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. rash — hasty
  14. object — a thing
  15. object — an aim
  16. mark — a grade
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. mark — a trace
  19. season — in sport
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. staff — employees
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. temple — side of the head

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