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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: pit · stick · bat · temple · track · saw · swing · lash

  1. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  19. David sat on the ________________.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — in an idiom
  2. pit — in a race
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. bat — for baseball
  6. track — a song
  7. swing — in golf
  8. track — a path
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. track — to keep track
  13. saw — the tool
  14. swing — music
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. pit — a hole
  18. bat — the animal
  19. swing — to play on
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. saw — the tool
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. temple — side of the head

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