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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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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: lash · craft · mark · pass · temple · shower · pound · club

  1. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. club — for dancing
  4. mark — a trace
  5. shower — a meteor shower
  6. pass — a permit
  7. pound — a weight
  8. mark — a grade
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. shower — rain
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. shower — to wash
  15. club — a group
  16. craft — boats
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. craft — a skill
  22. club — for golf
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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