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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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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: mouse · key · bass · wound · coach · stock · lash · ball

  1. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. stock — shares
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. bass — low music
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. wound — an injury
  11. key — in music
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. ball — a great time
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. ball — a dance
  17. key — for a lock
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. wound — an injury
  20. bass — the fish
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. stock — goods
  23. wound — past of 'wind'
  24. mouse — the animal

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