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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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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: stick · hand · plane · temple · lash · jam · roll · fall

  1. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  3. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. We're on a ________________ here.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  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. hand — part of the body
  2. fall — to drop
  3. fall — to drop
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. jam — a tight spot
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. hand — in cards
  11. hand — help
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. fall — the season
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. roll — on a roll
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. plane — a tool
  20. roll — a list
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. roll — a cake
  23. jam — in traffic
  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