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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 116 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. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. David sat on the ________________.
  20. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. mark — a grade
  3. rush — hurry
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. file — a document
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. lie — to recline
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. mark — a trace
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. rock — a stone
  16. swing — in golf
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. swing — to play on
  20. file — a tool
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. rock — music
  24. file — a line of people

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