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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: game · bear · suit · fine · leaves · lash · temple · wake

  1. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. game — wild animals
  3. game — a kind of play
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. fine — high quality
  7. suit — to fit
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. wake — a trail
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. bear — the animal
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. suit — in cards
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. suit — clothes
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. game — a match
  23. bear — the animal
  24. wake — before a funeral

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