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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. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. The ball is in your ________________.
  18. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  19. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — low music
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. mine — for digging
  5. rest — what's left
  6. mark — a trace
  7. court — of law
  8. plane — a tool
  9. bass — the fish
  10. court — of a king
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. rest — a break
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. rest — what's left
  15. mark — a grade
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. court — for sport
  18. mine — belonging to me
  19. mine — an explosive
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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