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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.

Make a worksheet

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
468
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: plane · temple · clip · ruler · roll · saw · game · lash

  1. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  7. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. We're on a ________________ here.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. saw — the tool
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. roll — a cake
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. game — a kind of play
  7. clip — for paper
  8. plane — a tool
  9. roll — on a roll
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. roll — a list
  12. game — wild animals
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. saw — the tool
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. clip — to cut
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. game — a match
  22. clip — a video
  23. temple — a place of worship
  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