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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: bear · temple · pop · band · mine · lash · deal · ruler

  1. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  15. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  24. He was blown up by a land ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. pop — music
  5. band — a music group
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. bear — the animal
  9. deal — to handle
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. band — a ring
  15. mine — for digging
  16. pop — soda
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. pop — to visit
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. band — a rubber band
  22. bear — the animal
  23. mine — belonging to me
  24. mine — an explosive

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