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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.

Make a worksheet

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: rush · mouse · temple · straw · ground · pass · lash · fine

  1. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — hurry
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. straw — to clutch at straws
  6. fine — high quality
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. ground — a position
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. ground — crushed
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. pass — a permit
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. fine — all right
  23. ground — the earth
  24. rush — to hurry

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