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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
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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: scale · squash · lash · rush · mine · bass · shower · season

  1. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  5. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  12. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. shower — a meteor shower
  5. shower — rain
  6. squash — to crush
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. mine — for digging
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. mine — an explosive
  12. mine — belonging to me
  13. bass — low music
  14. bass — the fish
  15. season — in sport
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. season — to add flavour
  19. scale — in music
  20. squash — the sport
  21. rush — hurry
  22. scale — size or range
  23. shower — to wash
  24. season — of the year

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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