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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: chest · lash · temple · rock · bore · saw · bulb · rush

  1. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. bore — to drill
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. chest — of your body
  5. bulb — for light
  6. bulb — for light
  7. rush — hurry
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. chest — of your body
  12. rock — a stone
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. saw — the tool
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. saw — the tool
  18. rock — music
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. chest — a box
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. bore — to tire
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. rock — to move gently

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