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

Word bank: mark · bass · lash · stick · court · jam

  1. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. The ball is in your ________________.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  12. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. bass — low music
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. court — for sport
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. court — of law
  12. court — of a king
  13. mark — a grade
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. mark — a trace
  18. bass — the instrument

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