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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: nail · march · pit · lie · temple · fork · pitcher · lash

  1. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. fork — in a road
  9. march — the month
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. pit — in a race
  13. march — music
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. lie — to recline
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. pit — a hole
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. march — the month
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. lie — an untruth

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