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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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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: temple · kick · pit · cell · lash · bowl · bear · rock

  1. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. He was locked up in a ________________.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. pit — a hole
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. rock — a stone
  5. pit — in a race
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. cell — in a prison
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. bear — the animal
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. cell — in biology
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. kick — in football
  16. cell — a phone
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. bear — the animal
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. rock — music
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. bowl — a dish

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