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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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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 · band · deal · fall · fine · bass · club · bear

  1. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  2. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  8. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. bass — the fish
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. club — a group
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. fall — the season
  8. fall — to drop
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. bear — the animal
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. bass — low music
  14. band — a music group
  15. fine — high quality
  16. deal — to handle
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. club — for dancing
  19. bear — the animal
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. band — a ring
  22. fall — to drop
  23. club — for golf
  24. fine — all right

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