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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: lash · ball · cap · pitcher · bulb · can · net · bass

  1. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. He took the fish out of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. bulb — for light
  3. cap — a lid
  4. can — to be able to
  5. can — a tin
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. bass — the fish
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. can — a tin
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. net — after costs
  14. cap — of ice
  15. net — in sport
  16. bulb — for light
  17. cap — a hat
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. ball — a great time
  22. ball — a dance
  23. bass — low music
  24. net — for catching

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