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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: season · last · lash · bass · hide · face · cue · coach

  1. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. Did you ________________ the meat?
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  10. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  11. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. False peace will not ________________.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. season — of the year
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. season — to add flavour
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. face — to point toward
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. cue — a hint
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. season — in sport
  10. last — finally
  11. last — final
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. cue — a signal
  14. face — part of the head
  15. face — to confront
  16. bass — low music
  17. last — to go on
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. cue — for pool
  22. bass — the fish
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. coach — a trainer

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