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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: pass · track · lash · lie · ball · board · swing · sharp

  1. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. ball — a dance
  3. swing — to play on
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. ball — a great time
  6. board — a committee
  7. track — a path
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. lie — to recline
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. track — to keep track
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. swing — in golf
  16. pass — a permit
  17. swing — music
  18. board — to get on
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. track — a song
  22. sharp — clever
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. board — a flat piece

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