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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: lash · game · swing · pass · track · face · ground · temple

  1. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. There's no middle ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. track — to keep track
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. swing — music
  8. ground — the earth
  9. face — to confront
  10. swing — in golf
  11. ground — crushed
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. swing — to play on
  14. track — a song
  15. ground — a position
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. face — part of the head
  18. face — to point toward
  19. game — wild animals
  20. pass — a permit
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. track — a path
  24. game — a match

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