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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
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: leaves · temple · squash · rash · season · capital · lash · row

  1. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. capital — a big letter
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. row — to paddle
  10. capital — a city
  11. rash — a series
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. rash — hasty
  14. row — a quarrel
  15. season — in sport
  16. season — of the year
  17. row — a line
  18. squash — the sport
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. squash — to crush
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. capital — money

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