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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: temple · field · ball · current · lash · kid · stand · spell

  1. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. spell — a short time
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. field — farmland
  8. stand — to bear
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. spell — letters
  11. field — a subject
  12. current — happening now
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. kid — to tease
  16. current — electric
  17. current — of water
  18. kid — child
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  22. ball — a great time
  23. field — for sport
  24. spell — magic

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