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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 ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. squash — the sport
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. squash — to crush
  9. saw — the tool
  10. saw — the tool
  11. vault — a safe
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. dip — to sink
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. bass — the fish
  18. bass — low music
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. rush — hurry
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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