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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: pop · object · rest · lie · temple · rock · field · lash

  1. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  11. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. object — an aim
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. rest — a break
  8. rest — what's left
  9. rock — music
  10. field — farmland
  11. field — for sport
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. pop — music
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. object — to protest
  18. rock — a stone
  19. pop — to visit
  20. pop — soda
  21. field — a subject
  22. rest — what's left
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. object — a thing

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