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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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Word bank
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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: swing · wax · snap · temple · lash · spring · safe · current

  1. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. swing — to play on
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. snap — to click
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. swing — in golf
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. current — electric
  12. spring — the season
  13. current — of water
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. wax — to grow
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. spring — a coil
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. spring — of water
  24. current — happening now

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