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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 coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. When are we going to ________________?
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. ball — a great time
  5. bass — the fish
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. deal — to handle
  9. land — ground
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. land — a country
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. swing — music
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. bass — low music
  19. land — to come down
  20. prune — to trim
  21. prune — to trim
  22. swing — to play on
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. ball — a dance

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