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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. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. saw — the tool
  4. charge — a price
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. rush — hurry
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. charge — in control
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. chip — to eat
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. bass — the fish
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. saw — the tool
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. chip — for betting
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. bass — low music
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. charge — electricity

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