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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: field · temple · object · wax · kick · lash · fan · land

  1. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. When are we going to ________________?
  17. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. field — farmland
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. object — a thing
  5. object — an aim
  6. wax — in the ear
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. land — a country
  10. wax — to grow
  11. object — to protest
  12. kick — in football
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. field — for sport
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. land — to come down
  17. land — ground
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. field — a subject
  24. fan — to cool the air

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