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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. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  14. The water is too ________________.
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. suit — clothes
  3. cold — the Cold War
  4. key — in music
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. key — for a lock
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. craft — boats
  11. suit — in cards
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. cold — an illness
  14. cold — not warm
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. stand — to bear
  18. bass — low music
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. suit — to fit
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. key — the most important part
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. craft — a skill

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