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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.

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. He is an ace ________________.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. There's no middle ________________.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. bear — the animal
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. object — an aim
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. bass — the fish
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. ground — the earth
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. squash — the sport
  15. object — a thing
  16. ground — crushed
  17. squash — to crush
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. bear — the animal
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. object — to protest
  23. ground — a position
  24. bass — low music

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