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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
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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: lash · cabinet · game · fan · stock · spring · temple · pop

  1. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  3. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. That was a fun ________________.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. pop — to visit
  2. spring — a coil
  3. game — a kind of play
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. stock — shares
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. game — a match
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. pop — soda
  14. pop — music
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. game — wild animals
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. stock — goods
  19. spring — of water
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. spring — the season
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. cabinet — ministers

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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