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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.

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: bass · club · lash · bay · key · ground · saw · pop

  1. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. There's no middle ________________.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — crushed
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. saw — the tool
  4. ground — the earth
  5. club — a group
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. ground — a position
  8. key — for a lock
  9. pop — soda
  10. key — in music
  11. key — the most important part
  12. bass — the fish
  13. bass — low music
  14. pop — music
  15. pop — to visit
  16. club — for golf
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. saw — the tool
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. club — for dancing
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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