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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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. The flowers bloom in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. suit — to fit
  3. rule — a law
  4. bass — low music
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. bass — the fish
  8. suit — clothes
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. firm — a company
  11. suit — in cards
  12. track — a song
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. track — a path
  16. track — to keep track
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. rule — government
  19. spring — a coil
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. firm — decided
  22. spring — of water
  23. firm — steady
  24. spring — the season

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