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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: lash · temple · file · object · cell · craft

  1. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. He was locked up in a ________________.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  18. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. object — an aim
  3. file — a document
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. cell — in a prison
  6. object — a thing
  7. craft — a skill
  8. file — a tool
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. file — a line of people
  11. craft — boats
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. cell — in biology
  16. object — to protest
  17. cell — a phone
  18. 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