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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. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. bass — low music
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. bank — for money
  5. ball — a dance
  6. ball — a great time
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. track — a song
  9. staff — employees
  10. track — a path
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. band — a ring
  14. bass — the fish
  15. bank — of a river
  16. track — to keep track
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. staff — employees
  19. season — in sport
  20. season — of the year
  21. band — a music group
  22. staff — a stick
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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