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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. When was this ________________ built?
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. Do you need a ________________ with that?

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. swing — in golf
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. hand — in cards
  9. swing — to play on
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. sharp — clever
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. swing — music
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. foot — a measure
  20. hand — part of the body
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. hand — help

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