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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: swing · temple · saw · game · snap · race · bay · mouse

  1. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  12. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. That was a fun ________________.
  16. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. swing — music
  3. saw — the tool
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. race — humankind
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. game — wild animals
  11. game — a kind of play
  12. race — a contest
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. swing — in golf
  15. game — a match
  16. race — the arms race
  17. saw — the tool
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. snap — to click
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. swing — to play on

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