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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: cabinet · temple · foot · pop · saw · mug · lash · date

  1. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. Have you settled on a ________________?
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. pop — soda
  5. saw — the tool
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. mug — to rob
  8. pop — to visit
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. date — the fruit
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. foot — a measure
  20. mug — a face
  21. pop — music
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. mug — a cup

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