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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.

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: branch · lie · pass · ball · kick · lash · perch · bass

  1. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. lie — to recline
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. bass — the fish
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. kick — in football
  8. ball — a dance
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. ball — a great time
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. perch — the fish
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. branch — a division
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. pass — a permit
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. bass — low music
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. kick — with a leg
  24. lash — an eyelash

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