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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: rush · lean · temple · ball · game · rest · swing · bay

  1. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. That was a fun ________________.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. ball — a great time
  3. swing — music
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. ball — a dance
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. game — a match
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. rest — what's left
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. lean — to bend
  12. game — a kind of play
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. game — wild animals
  16. swing — to play on
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. rest — a break
  19. rest — what's left
  20. lean — thin
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. swing — in golf
  24. rush — hurry

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