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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: lash · wave · temple · hand · vault · wake · root · kick

  1. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. hand — help
  7. root — the cause
  8. hand — part of the body
  9. wake — a trail
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. hand — in cards
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. root — of a plant
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. root — of a word
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. kick — in football

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