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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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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. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. tear — to rip
  5. bass — the fish
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. tear — from crying
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. swing — to play on
  10. bass — low music
  11. rest — what's left
  12. tear — from crying
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. swing — in golf
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. rest — what's left
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. rest — a break

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