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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: key · prune · charge · coach · bass · lash

  1. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. charge — a price
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. prune — to trim
  5. charge — in control
  6. bass — the fish
  7. prune — to trim
  8. key — in music
  9. key — the most important part
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. key — for a lock
  13. charge — electricity
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. bass — low music

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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