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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.

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468
Word bank
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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. David sat on the ________________.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  17. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. present — a gift
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. present — there
  12. swing — music
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  17. kid — to tease
  18. swing — in golf
  19. lie — to recline
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. present — the time now
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. foot — a measure
  24. kid — child

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