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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.

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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: wave · temple · lie · fork · track · march · mine · lash

  1. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  3. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  4. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  5. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  6. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. march — the month
  3. mine — an explosive
  4. march — the month
  5. march — music
  6. mine — for digging
  7. lie — to recline
  8. track — a path
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. fork — in a road
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. track — to keep track
  15. mine — belonging to me
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. track — a song

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