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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 116 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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: lash · rash · swing · dip · row · safe · spell · game

  1. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. That was a fun ________________.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a kind of play
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. spell — a short time
  5. row — to paddle
  6. swing — to play on
  7. rash — a series
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. swing — music
  11. row — a quarrel
  12. spell — letters
  13. game — a match
  14. swing — in golf
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. dip — to sink
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. game — wild animals
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. spell — magic
  22. row — a line
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. rash — hasty

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