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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: rash · spell · last · leaves · temple · bore · fork · hide

  1. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. False peace will not ________________.
  11. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. bore — to drill
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. fork — in a road
  10. last — to go on
  11. last — finally
  12. spell — a short time
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. rash — a series
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. spell — letters
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. rash — hasty
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. bore — to tire
  24. last — final

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