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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: rush · pit · kick · bat · dip · toast · temple · lash

  1. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. rush — hurry
  3. toast — a drink to someone
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. pit — in a race
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. bat — the animal
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. pit — a hole
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. bat — for baseball
  16. toast — bread
  17. kick — in football
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. toast — the most admired
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. bat — in an idiom
  24. rush — to hurry

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