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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.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. bass — the fish
  4. current — happening now
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. squash — the sport
  8. bass — low music
  9. squash — to crush
  10. current — of water
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. tube — the underground
  16. tube — a container
  17. current — electric
  18. racket — for tennis

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