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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: dip · lash · staff · temple · bark · game · current · snap

  1. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. That was a fun ________________.
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. bark — of a tree
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. dip — to sink
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. staff — a stick
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. snap — to speak sharply
  11. staff — employees
  12. current — of water
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. bark — to shout
  15. snap — to click
  16. game — wild animals
  17. staff — employees
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. game — a match
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. current — electric
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. temple — a place of worship

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