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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: pitch · stock · lash · cue · face · temple · tube · wound

  1. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  23. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. pitch — completely
  3. tube — a container
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. cue — a signal
  6. face — part of the head
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. tube — the underground
  9. face — to point toward
  10. cue — a hint
  11. cue — for pool
  12. stock — goods
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. wound — an injury
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. face — to confront
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. stock — shares
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. wound — past of 'wind'
  23. wound — an injury
  24. temple — a place of worship

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