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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: key · net · chip · lash · hide · ball · bass · club

  1. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. key — in music
  4. net — in sport
  5. chip — for betting
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. club — for golf
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. chip — to eat
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. bass — the fish
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. bass — low music
  15. net — for catching
  16. ball — a dance
  17. club — for dancing
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. key — the most important part
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. club — a group
  22. ball — a great time
  23. key — for a lock
  24. net — after costs

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