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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. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. deal — to handle
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. mate — a friend
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. branch — a division
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. band — a music group
  16. mate — a partner
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. bass — low music
  20. band — a ring
  21. mate — to breed
  22. squash — to crush
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. squash — the sport

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