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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
468
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 · lash · wound · roll · chair · swing · track · safe

  1. David sat on the ________________.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  5. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. We're on a ________________ here.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  22. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. swing — music
  4. chair — a leader
  5. wound — an injury
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. roll — a list
  8. chair — a professorship
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. roll — a cake
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. rush — hurry
  14. track — a song
  15. roll — on a roll
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. track — to keep track
  19. track — a path
  20. swing — in golf
  21. wound — past of 'wind'
  22. chair — to sit on
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. wound — an injury

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