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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. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. rest — a break
  3. bass — low music
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. chip — for betting
  7. race — a contest
  8. pitch — completely
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. rest — what's left
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. rock — music
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. rest — what's left
  15. race — humankind
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. chip — to eat
  18. suit — clothes
  19. race — the arms race
  20. rock — a stone
  21. bass — the fish
  22. suit — in cards
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. suit — to fit

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