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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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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. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  16. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  21. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  22. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  23. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. bank — of a river
  4. pop — to visit
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. swing — in golf
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. swing — music
  11. swing — to play on
  12. bank — for money
  13. bank — for money
  14. pop — music
  15. hand — help
  16. hand — in cards
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. pop — soda
  20. march — the month
  21. march — music
  22. march — the month
  23. hand — part of the body
  24. dip — to sink

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