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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. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. False peace will not ________________.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. swing — music
  4. last — final
  5. bulb — for light
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. content — the amount
  9. bulb — for light
  10. lie — to recline
  11. last — to go on
  12. bass — the fish
  13. swing — to play on
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. pass — a permit
  16. bass — low music
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. swing — in golf
  21. content — videos and posts
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. last — finally
  24. content — happy

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