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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 120 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: game · leaves · last · wake · mate · lash · temple · drill

  1. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. False peace will not ________________.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. That was a fun ________________.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. last — final
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. mate — a friend
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. drill — army training
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. wake — a trail
  8. last — finally
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. drill — a practice
  12. last — to go on
  13. mate — a partner
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. game — a match
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. mate — to breed
  20. drill — the tool
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. game — wild animals
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. game — a kind of play

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