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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. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — low music
  2. row — to paddle
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. present — there
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. present — a gift
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. saw — the tool
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. present — the time now
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. saw — the tool
  18. wake — a trail
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. bass — the fish
  21. row — a quarrel
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. row — a line
  24. temple — a place of worship

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