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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: rush · temple · ball · swing · bat · fine · club · band

  1. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  22. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. swing — music
  5. bat — in an idiom
  6. ball — a dance
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. fine — all right
  9. swing — in golf
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. club — for dancing
  12. ball — a great time
  13. rush — hurry
  14. club — for golf
  15. band — a ring
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. band — a music group
  18. band — a rubber band
  19. fine — high quality
  20. swing — to play on
  21. bat — the animal
  22. bat — for baseball
  23. club — a group
  24. rush — to 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