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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: wave · march · temple · lash · bowl · race

  1. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  10. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  11. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. march — music
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. race — a contest
  10. march — the month
  11. race — the arms race
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. march — the month
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. race — humankind

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