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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.

Make a worksheet

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

  1. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. False peace will not ________________.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. bass — low music
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. last — to go on
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. last — finally
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. last — final
  11. rest — a break
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. rest — what's left
  15. rest — what's left
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. bass — the fish

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