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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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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: kid · row · dip · last · staff · lash · swing · vault

  1. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. False peace will not ________________.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. last — final
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. row — a quarrel
  5. swing — music
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. row — to paddle
  8. staff — employees
  9. last — to go on
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. staff — a stick
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. dip — to sink
  14. row — a line
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. staff — employees
  17. last — finally
  18. vault — a safe
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. kid — to tease
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. kid — child
  23. swing — to play on
  24. kid — young goat (kid gloves)

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