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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: arm · bulb · lash · coach · fall · jam · bass · wound

  1. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  7. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. bass — the fish
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. fall — to drop
  7. fall — the season
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. bass — low music
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. wound — past of 'wind'
  14. fall — to drop
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. wound — an injury
  20. bulb — for light
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. bulb — for light
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. lash — to lash out

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