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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. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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. file — a line of people
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. bass — the fish
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. file — a document
  8. file — a tool
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. fine — high quality
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. bass — low music
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. pitch — completely
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. fine — all right

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