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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
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: ground · rash · land · chip · lash · temple · bay · bass

  1. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. When are we going to ________________?
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. rash — hasty
  3. ground — the earth
  4. land — a country
  5. chip — for betting
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. ground — crushed
  11. land — ground
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. chip — to eat
  15. bass — low music
  16. rash — a series
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. land — to come down
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. ground — a position
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. bass — the fish
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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