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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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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: temple · lash · face · roll · stand · ball · spring · jam

  1. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — a coil
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. roll — on a roll
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. spring — the season
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. stand — to bear
  11. roll — a cake
  12. ball — a dance
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. spring — of water
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. face — to point toward
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. face — part of the head
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. roll — a list
  22. face — to confront
  23. ball — a great time
  24. temple — side of the head

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