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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 120 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: can · kid · lash · temple · craft · fine · dip · file

  1. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  20. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. file — a line of people
  7. can — to be able to
  8. dip — to sink
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. file — a document
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. fine — all right
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. craft — a skill
  16. fine — high quality
  17. craft — boats
  18. can — a tin
  19. kid — to tease
  20. file — a tool
  21. can — a tin
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. kid — child

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