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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 116 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
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: swing · prune · file · wax · track · pound · lash · bass

  1. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  5. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  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. swing — music
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. file — a tool
  5. file — a line of people
  6. swing — in golf
  7. track — a song
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. track — to keep track
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. swing — to play on
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. track — a path
  14. pound — a weight
  15. file — a document
  16. wax — to grow
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. bass — the fish
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. bass — low music
  21. prune — to trim
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. prune — to trim
  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