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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: roll · lash · plane · bat · prune · bass · stem · toast

  1. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  22. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  23. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  24. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. bat — in an idiom
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. bat — the animal
  6. bass — low music
  7. prune — to trim
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. bass — the fish
  12. prune — to trim
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. plane — a tool
  16. bat — for baseball
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. stem — to come from
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. roll — a list
  22. toast — a drink to someone
  23. roll — a cake
  24. toast — 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