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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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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 · spring · temple · season · rush · court · stand · mark

  1. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. The ball is in your ________________.
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  19. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  20. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. stand — to bear
  3. rush — hurry
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. court — for sport
  6. season — of the year
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. mark — a trace
  9. mark — a grade
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. spring — of water
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. spring — the season
  19. spring — a coil
  20. court — of law
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. court — of a king

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