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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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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: ball · swing · craft · lash · tube · bound · hand · track

  1. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  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. lash — an eyelash
  2. swing — in golf
  3. hand — part of the body
  4. track — to keep track
  5. swing — music
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. tube — the underground
  8. tube — a container
  9. swing — to play on
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. track — a song
  12. bound — certain
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. ball — a dance
  15. track — a path
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. craft — a skill
  18. ball — a great time
  19. bound — tied together
  20. hand — in cards
  21. craft — boats
  22. hand — help
  23. bound — obliged
  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