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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. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  22. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. swing — to play on
  4. bank — for money
  5. swing — music
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. rest — what's left
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. bass — the fish
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. capital — money
  12. lie — to recline
  13. bank — of a river
  14. rest — what's left
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. bank — for money
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. bass — low music
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. capital — a big letter
  22. capital — a city
  23. swing — in golf
  24. mouse — the animal

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