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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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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: rest · roll · temple · lash · spring · charge · firm · drill

  1. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  18. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  22. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. drill — army training
  4. spring — of water
  5. rest — a break
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. roll — a cake
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. rest — what's left
  13. firm — steady
  14. charge — in control
  15. rest — what's left
  16. charge — electricity
  17. spring — a coil
  18. roll — a list
  19. firm — a company
  20. drill — a practice
  21. drill — the tool
  22. spring — the season
  23. firm — decided
  24. charge — a price

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