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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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: foot · temple · cell · spell · lash · rush · staff · march

  1. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. He was locked up in a ________________.
  17. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. staff — employees
  3. march — music
  4. staff — employees
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. spell — a short time
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. cell — a phone
  10. spell — letters
  11. spell — magic
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. rush — hurry
  14. march — the month
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. cell — in a prison
  17. march — the month
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. foot — a measure
  20. cell — in biology
  21. staff — a stick
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. foot — the bottom

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