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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: season · cold · lash · temple · rock · fan · key · chip

  1. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  9. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. The water is too ________________.
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. cold — an illness
  4. chip — to eat
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. cold — the Cold War
  9. season — in sport
  10. key — in music
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. rock — a stone
  13. rock — music
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. cold — not warm
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. chip — for betting
  18. key — the most important part
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. season — of the year
  23. key — for a lock
  24. season — to add flavour

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