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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
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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: perch · stick · sharp · season · face · drill · temple · lash

  1. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. perch — the fish
  3. face — part of the head
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. face — to confront
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. drill — the tool
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. season — of the year
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. drill — a practice
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. season — in sport
  21. sharp — clever
  22. face — to point toward
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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