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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: mark · bass · lash · stick · court · jam · pound · rock

  1. The ball is in your ________________.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  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. court — for sport
  2. rock — music
  3. rock — a stone
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. bass — the fish
  9. court — of law
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. mark — a grade
  13. bass — low music
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. pound — a weight
  16. court — of a king
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. pound — for dogs
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. mark — a trace
  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