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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. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  11. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. bass — low music
  7. race — a contest
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. chair — to sit on
  11. race — humankind
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. chair — a professorship
  14. cap — a lid
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. race — the arms race
  17. bass — the fish
  18. chair — a leader
  19. swing — music
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. vault — a safe
  22. cap — a hat
  23. swing — to play on
  24. cap — of ice

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