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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 120 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.

Make a worksheet

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. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  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. rush — hurry
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. mate — to breed
  5. bass — low music
  6. lie — to recline
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. rock — music
  9. bass — the fish
  10. bulb — for light
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. bulb — for light
  13. mate — a friend
  14. rock — a stone
  15. rest — a break
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. rest — what's left
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. rest — what's left
  21. mate — a partner
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. lie — an untruth
  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