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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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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: bass · coach · dip · rash · content · lash · prune · fan

  1. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. prune — to trim
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. dip — to sink
  11. rash — a series
  12. content — happy
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. content — the amount
  16. bass — low music
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. bass — the fish
  19. content — videos and posts
  20. prune — to trim
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. rash — hasty
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. dip — a sauce

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