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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: lash · bowl · prune · ball · nail · swing · bass · wax

  1. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. bass — low music
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. ball — a great time
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. swing — in golf
  10. prune — to trim
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. bass — the fish
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. ball — a dance
  17. swing — to play on
  18. wax — to grow
  19. prune — to trim
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. wax — for sculpting

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