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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: rush · ground · jam · rash · swing · lash · sharp · kid

  1. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  5. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. kid — child
  5. kid — to tease
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. swing — music
  10. ground — a position
  11. ground — the earth
  12. rash — a series
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. swing — to play on
  16. rush — hurry
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. ground — crushed
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  21. sharp — clever
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. rash — hasty

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