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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 120 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: bass · lean · bat · chip · firm · lash · squash · root

  1. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. squash — the sport
  3. root — of a word
  4. chip — for betting
  5. root — the cause
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. lean — to bend
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. bat — the animal
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. firm — decided
  13. root — of a plant
  14. firm — steady
  15. bass — the fish
  16. bass — low music
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. squash — to crush
  19. firm — a company
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. bat — in an idiom
  22. chip — to eat
  23. bat — for baseball
  24. lean — thin

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