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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.

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: saw · temple · roll · ball · last · fall · racket · lash

  1. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  5. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  10. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. False peace will not ________________.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. We're on a ________________ here.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  18. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  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. saw — the tool
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. last — final
  5. last — finally
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. fall — the season
  10. roll — a cake
  11. ball — a dance
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. last — to go on
  14. ball — a great time
  15. roll — on a roll
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. roll — a list
  18. fall — to drop
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. saw — the tool
  23. fall — to drop
  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