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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. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  11. False peace will not ________________.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  24. At ________________, we arrived at the village.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. fine — all right
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. toast — bread
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. fine — high quality
  10. last — final
  11. last — to go on
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. roll — a list
  17. roll — a cake
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. bass — the fish
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. bass — low music
  23. toast — the most admired
  24. last — finally

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