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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 kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. swing — music
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. bass — the fish
  7. scale — size or range
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. ball — a great time
  13. scale — in music
  14. rush — hurry
  15. ball — a dance
  16. cap — a lid
  17. cap — of ice
  18. bass — low music
  19. bore — to drill
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. swing — in golf
  22. bore — to tire
  23. cap — a hat
  24. swing — to play on

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