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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: season · deal · hide · roll · temple · lash · wind · bark

  1. Did you ________________ the meat?
  2. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  3. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  19. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  23. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. season — to add flavour
  2. roll — a list
  3. roll — on a roll
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. deal — to handle
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. season — of the year
  8. bark — a dog's sound
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. season — in sport
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. roll — a cake
  18. bark — to shout
  19. wind — moving air
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. wind — moving air
  23. wind — to turn a key
  24. hide — to keep secret

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