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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: lash · bowl · kick · ball · bulb · temple · mark · pitcher

  1. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. mark — a grade
  3. bulb — for light
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. mark — a trace
  8. kick — in football
  9. bulb — for light
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. ball — a dance
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. ball — a great time
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. ball — a round shape

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