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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
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: bat · lash · patient · safe · temple · game · board · date

  1. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. Have you settled on a ________________?
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  14. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  22. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  24. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. board — to get on
  6. bat — for baseball
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. board — a committee
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. bat — the animal
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. bat — in an idiom
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. date — the fruit
  22. game — a kind of play
  23. game — wild animals
  24. game — a match

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