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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. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. David sat on the ________________.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. swing — in golf
  5. chip — for betting
  6. drill — army training
  7. drill — the tool
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. drill — a practice
  16. branch — a division
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. swing — to play on
  20. chip — to eat
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. lie — to recline
  23. stand — to bear
  24. swing — music

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