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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: sharp · wave · lash · arm · temple · jam · track · bass

  1. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. track — a path
  8. track — to keep track
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. sharp — clever
  19. bass — the fish
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. track — a song
  23. bass — low music
  24. lash — to lash out

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