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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: board · bass · arm · prune · lash · cabinet · band · date

  1. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. Have you settled on a ________________?
  4. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  10. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. date — the fruit
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. prune — to trim
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. band — a rubber band
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. band — a ring
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. board — a committee
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. bass — low music
  21. prune — to trim
  22. band — a music group
  23. board — to get on
  24. lash — an eyelash

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