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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.

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: pound · bulb · lash · land · hide · sharp · rash · temple

  1. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. bulb — for light
  5. rash — hasty
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. land — to come down
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. bulb — for light
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. land — ground
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. rash — a series
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. sharp — clever
  20. pound — a weight
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. land — a country

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