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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 · bear · suit · lie · wake · bass · prune · rest

  1. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. rest — what's left
  5. bass — low music
  6. bear — the animal
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. rest — what's left
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. prune — to trim
  13. bass — the fish
  14. rest — a break
  15. suit — to fit
  16. prune — to trim
  17. bear — the animal
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. suit — in cards
  20. wake — a trail
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. lie — to recline
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. lie — an untruth

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