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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 120 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. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. False peace will not ________________.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. ball — a dance
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. face — to point toward
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. chip — for betting
  8. last — to go on
  9. chip — to eat
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. rock — a stone
  13. face — to confront
  14. last — final
  15. ball — a great time
  16. last — finally
  17. bear — the animal
  18. bear — the animal
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. face — part of the head
  21. rock — music
  22. bass — low music
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. 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