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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. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. That was a fun ________________.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  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 — the instrument
  2. object — to protest
  3. snap — to click
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. mug — a cup
  6. bass — the fish
  7. object — a thing
  8. bound — certain
  9. game — a kind of play
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. snap — to speak sharply
  12. fine — all right
  13. game — a match
  14. bass — low music
  15. game — wild animals
  16. object — an aim
  17. bound — obliged
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. bound — tied together
  20. mug — to rob
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. mug — a face
  23. fine — high quality
  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