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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. Don't do anything ________________.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — hasty
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. deal — to handle
  4. can — a tin
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. pitch — completely
  8. rash — a series
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. can — a tin
  15. club — a group
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. can — to be able to
  21. club — for dancing
  22. bass — low music
  23. club — for golf
  24. bass — the fish

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