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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 120 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. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  23. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. hand — in cards
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. hand — part of the body
  5. bass — the fish
  6. prune — to trim
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. hand — help
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. rock — a stone
  12. swing — in golf
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. spring — of water
  15. swing — to play on
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. swing — music
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. prune — to trim
  20. bass — low music
  21. rock — music
  22. spring — the season
  23. spring — a coil
  24. lash — to lash out

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