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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.

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
468
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: jam · pop · court · drill · bass · lash · perch · wave

  1. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. The ball is in your ________________.
  23. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  24. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. pop — to visit
  6. drill — army training
  7. pop — soda
  8. court — of law
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. drill — a practice
  12. court — of a king
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. bass — the fish
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. pop — music
  18. bass — low music
  19. drill — the tool
  20. perch — the fish
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. court — for sport
  23. jam — in traffic
  24. jam — to spread on bread

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