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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: temple · lean · wake · stock · rush · lash · bowl · roll

  1. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. We're on a ________________ here.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  16. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a dish
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. lean — thin
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. roll — on a roll
  7. rush — hurry
  8. stock — shares
  9. lean — to bend
  10. wake — a trail
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. roll — a list
  16. roll — a cake
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. stock — goods
  24. lash — to lash out

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