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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 120 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: spell · leaves · temple · deal · lash · rock · bay · dip

  1. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. rock — music
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. spell — magic
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. dip — to sink
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. deal — to handle
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. spell — letters
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. rock — a stone
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. spell — a short time

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