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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. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  21. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  22. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. track — a path
  3. bass — low music
  4. bark — a dog's sound
  5. fine — high quality
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. race — a contest
  8. bark — to shout
  9. track — to keep track
  10. fine — all right
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. track — a song
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. race — humankind
  21. race — the arms race
  22. bark — of a tree
  23. bass — the fish
  24. lash — an eyelash

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