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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: chest · pop · craft · lash · content · temple · swing · bowl

  1. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  18. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. chest — of your body
  3. content — the amount
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. pop — to visit
  6. craft — boats
  7. pop — soda
  8. content — happy
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. content — videos and posts
  13. swing — in golf
  14. swing — music
  15. craft — a skill
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. chest — of your body
  18. chest — a box
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. pop — music
  21. swing — to play on
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. temple — a place of worship

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