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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.

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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: rush · arm · firm · race · racket · lash · squash · bass

  1. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. squash — to crush
  4. bass — low music
  5. firm — a company
  6. bass — the fish
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. race — a contest
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. race — humankind
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. race — the arms race
  18. firm — decided
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. firm — steady
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. squash — the sport
  23. rush — hurry
  24. arm — part of the body

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