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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 spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. swing — in golf
  3. bass — low music
  4. swing — music
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. bulb — for light
  8. rock — a stone
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. file — a line of people
  11. bulb — for light
  12. rock — music
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. file — a tool
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. swing — to play on
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. bass — the fish
  21. file — a document
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. bulb — of a plant

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