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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. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  24. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. march — music
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. pop — music
  5. dip — to sink
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. season — in sport
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. pop — to visit
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. rock — a stone
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. season — of the year
  15. pop — soda
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. bass — the fish
  19. bass — low music
  20. rock — music
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. march — the month
  24. march — the month

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