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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 spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. False peace will not ________________.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. bass — the fish
  3. last — finally
  4. cap — of ice
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. prune — to trim
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. rest — what's left
  9. prune — to trim
  10. last — final
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. rest — what's left
  13. last — to go on
  14. rest — a break
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. ball — a great time
  18. cap — a lid
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. bass — low music
  21. cap — a hat
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. ball — a dance
  24. bass — the instrument

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