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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: object · suit · land · temple · lash · bay · mine · drill

  1. When was this ________________ built?
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. When are we going to ________________?
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. object — to protest
  3. mine — an explosive
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. mine — for digging
  6. suit — to fit
  7. drill — army training
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. drill — a practice
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. mine — belonging to me
  13. drill — the tool
  14. land — a country
  15. suit — clothes
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. object — an aim
  18. land — ground
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. land — to come down
  22. object — a thing
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. suit — in cards

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