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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 120 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: lie · wind · arm · swing · temple · game · ruler · stock

  1. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. stock — goods
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. lie — to recline
  8. wind — moving air
  9. swing — to play on
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. game — wild animals
  12. wind — moving air
  13. stock — shares
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. swing — music
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. wind — to turn a key
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. temple — a place of worship
  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