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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: shower · trunk · spell · wake · temple · lash · mark · lie

  1. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. wake — a trail
  7. spell — letters
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. shower — rain
  10. mark — a grade
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. shower — a meteor shower
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. spell — magic
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. shower — to wash
  21. lie — to recline
  22. mark — a trace
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  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