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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: lash · key · pass · cabinet · temple · degree · swing · club

  1. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  19. David sat on the ________________.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. club — a group
  4. key — for a lock
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. club — for golf
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. degree — temperature
  11. swing — in golf
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. key — the most important part
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. key — in music
  16. degree — from a university
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. swing — music
  19. swing — to play on
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. degree — an amount
  22. club — for dancing
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. pass — a permit

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