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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.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  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. lash — a whip stroke
  2. club — for golf
  3. suit — clothes
  4. staff — employees
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. suit — in cards
  9. suit — to fit
  10. staff — employees
  11. chest — of your body
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. chest — of your body
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. chest — a box
  16. club — a group
  17. staff — a stick
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. pound — a weight
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. club — for dancing
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. temple — side of the head
  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