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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 120 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.

Words on the sheet
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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 · sharp · hide · ground · degree · bowl · lash · temple

  1. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  4. There's no middle ________________.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. degree — temperature
  4. ground — a position
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. degree — an amount
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. ground — crushed
  20. sharp — clever
  21. degree — from a university
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. lash — to lash out

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