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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: lash · current · leaves · root · temple · march · last · fall

  1. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  4. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  5. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. False peace will not ________________.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. last — finally
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. march — music
  5. fall — the season
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. fall — to drop
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. march — the month
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. current — electric
  13. last — final
  14. root — of a plant
  15. current — of water
  16. root — the cause
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. fall — to drop
  19. current — happening now
  20. last — to go on
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. march — the month
  24. root — of a word

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