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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.

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: lash · rest · bass · mug · arm · rash · squash · prune

  1. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. prune — to trim
  3. squash — to crush
  4. rest — what's left
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. prune — to trim
  9. mug — to rob
  10. mug — a cup
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. rash — hasty
  13. bass — low music
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. squash — the sport
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. rest — what's left
  19. mug — a face
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. rest — a break
  24. rash — a series

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