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

  1. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. key — in music
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. prune — to trim
  5. key — the most important part
  6. bass — the fish
  7. toast — the most admired
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. prune — to trim
  11. season — of the year
  12. bass — low music
  13. key — for a lock
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. toast — bread
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. season — in sport

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