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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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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: mouse · date · temple · lash · bat · swing · nail · patient

  1. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. Have you settled on a ________________?
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  24. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — in an idiom
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. bat — the animal
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. swing — music
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. date — the fruit
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. swing — to play on
  23. bat — for baseball
  24. swing — in golf

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