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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: object · craft · wound · bay · pass · lash · temple · rock

  1. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  2. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. wound — an injury
  6. craft — boats
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. object — an aim
  9. rock — a stone
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. craft — a skill
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. pass — a permit
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. object — to protest
  16. object — a thing
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. wound — an injury
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. rock — music
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. 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