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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.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. swing — in golf
  3. rest — what's left
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. rest — a break
  8. bass — low music
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. swing — music
  12. rest — what's left
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. rash — a series
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. rash — hasty
  18. swing — to play on

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